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Vinho Verde means 'green wine' in Portuguese, but its name is a reference to its age (young) rather than its color (a pale yellow). Here's a quick primer on what you need to know about this light, crisp summertime favorite:
1. It's all northern Portugal: Vinho Verde comes from a region in the northernmost part of Portugal, along the border of Spain and the Atlantic coast, that's home to 15% of the country's vineyards.
The wine — the country's second-most popular, trailing only port — is made from a mélange of local grape varieties, including Loureiro and Paderna, that are seldom heard of outside of the area.
2. Light, even in alcohol: Because the grapes used to make Vinho Verde are low in sugar, the wine is light and fresh on the palate and low in alcohol as well. In fact, Portuguese wine authorities regulate this: The Vinho Verde label is not allowed on wines whose alcohol content exceeds 11.5%.
3. The prickle: Vinho Verde has a tiny carbonated bite that locals describe as a 'prickle.' In the past, the prickle came about in the natural fermentation process, but these days winemakers sometimes inject a bit of carbon dioxide at the time of bottling to ensure the same effect.
4. Fresh is best: Because the wines are meant to be drunk young, don't bother aging or seeking out old vintages. In fact, Vinho Verde is best enjoyed as close as possible to the day the bottles left the vineyard. Most winemakers even print the bottling date, rather than a vintage, on the label so consumers can find the freshest Vinho on the shelves.
5. Cheap and cheerful: Vinho Verde bottles rarely cost more than US$20 at local wine shops; often they go for less than US$10. Thanks to its lighter nature, it's a good choice for a summertime picnic party or any meal involving simple seafood. And if you travel to the former Portuguese colony of Macau, head to a Macanese restaurant and order up a plate of sautéed clams along with a bottle of Verde for the perfect match.
参考译文：
1. 全部产自葡萄牙北部。Vinho Verde来自葡萄牙最北部沿着西班牙边界和大西洋海岸的一个地区。这个国家15%的葡萄园分布在那里。
Vinho Verde——在葡萄牙的受欢迎程度仅次于波尔图葡萄酒——用该地区生长的各种葡萄酿制，其中包括Loureiro和Paderna这两种外界人很少听说的葡萄。
2. 清淡，酒精含量也很低：因为用以酿制Vinho Verde的葡萄糖分含量很低，所以这种酒品口味清爽甘冽，而且酒精含量也很低。事实上，葡萄牙的葡萄酒管理部门规定：酒精含量超过11.5%的葡萄酒就不得标上“Vinho Verde”的标识了。
3. “麻刺”感：Vinho Verde略微有一点类似碳酸饮料的口感，当地人称之为“麻刺”（prickle）。过去，这种口感是在自然发酵过程中形成的。当下，酿酒厂在将葡萄酒装瓶的时候充入一点二氧化碳，以起到同样的效果。
4. 新鲜为王：因为这类葡萄酒是在酿制不久后就要喝的，因此不要久存，也不要青睐陈酿。离开葡萄园时间越短的Vinho Verde越好喝。大多数葡萄酒酿造商甚至在瓶子上列印装瓶日期，而不是年份，以方便顾客从货架上找到最新鲜的Vinho Verde。
5. 价廉物美：在当地葡萄酒商店里，每瓶Vinho Verde售价很少超过20美元，一般售价往往不到10美元。因为清淡的缘故，这类酒是夏季野餐派对和简易海鲜餐的理想选择。如果你在曾经是葡萄牙殖民地的澳门旅行，去澳门人开的餐馆用餐的话，那么，一盘炒蛤蜊和一瓶Vinho Verde就是绝佳的搭配。
