Portugal is a region on fire in terms of wine right now.  In the past couple of years, Portugal has been making not only its famous Porto, but deluging the world with cheap, world class reds and whites.  How have they done it?  To start with, they’re stopped randomly replacing vines with other random vines, and instead started actually planting blocks of similar vines.  As they’ve done so, they’re moved away from some traditional grapes, and moved more toward what’s best suited to the climate and the style of wine they’re trying to create.

Vinho Verde isn’t immune to this, and the increase in Alvarinho (Albariño) over more traditional grapes has pushed some producers of this refreshing white to new heights of improved quality.  Great news for white drinkers, right?  But what if you’d like red wine, but aren’t in the mood for red given the heat?  Well Espiral Vinho Rosé might just be the answer for you. 

Sight:  Espiral Vinho Rosé is a beautiful color of pink, reminiscient of a peak summer watermelon or someone blushing.

Smell:  The nose is clean, with a watermelon hint coming out first.  There are other playful red fruits present like fresh raspberries and strawberries.  There’s also a subdued hint of oranges, almost as if they’ve been candied, mixed with minerality.

Sip:  Espiral Vinho Rosé’s body has nice amount of levity, but doesn’t overwhelm the palate with acidity.   Raspberry and watermelon jump out, complimented by a hint of orange peel and strawberry.   The mouthfeel benefits from some light bubbles, and is generally fairly light.

Savor:  The finish is nice, with the raspberries, strawberries, and oranges coming through.  There’s a touch of minerality, but overall, there’s just a light, refreshing note to the ending.

Espiral Vinho Rosé is a fun summer ready wine, that shines with refreshing hits of berries and citrus.  While there isn’t any sort of complexity, the light body is perfect for the heat.  Red wine drinkers that can’t make the full switch to white in the summer heat should consider this as an alternative for a picnic.  Overall, Espiral Vinho Rosé is a shockingly good value for $6, just like Espiral’s Vinho Verde.

Verdict: Watermelon, Raspberry, and Orange with a refreshing character
Price: $5.99
Portugal