Alvarinho is a typical Portuguese white wine grape variety. It is one of the most notable and considered by many to be the best white grape variety in Portugal.

 At Quinta da Raza, the Alvarinho vines “come to life”, after the cold winter days, around the second half of March. Budding, the name given to the beginning of the growth of the plant’s buds, is wide, very cottony and with a strongly carmine border.  When young, the leaves are yellowish with tan spots, very curly, cottony on the underside and downy on the upper side.

Flowering takes place towards the end of May and although the flowers are not visually very attractive, their scent transforms the vineard and reminds us that it is still spring.

 The “Pintor”, a phase in which the maturation accelerates and the berries become translucent, normally takes place at the end of July/beginning of August, which reminds us that there is little time left before the harvest in September.

 The Alvarinho variety is vigorous and not very sensitive to decay and rot.  It has low yield, as its berries and bunches are small and a large part of the interior space is occupied by seeds.  In the skins of the berries are most of the aromatic compounds and some of the structure that will be transmitted to the wine.  It has a high sugar content, which results in more alcoholic wines, and a very present acidity, which makes it an ideal variety for more complex wines and for aging.

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Due to all these good characteristics of the Alvarinho variety, at Quinta da Raza we use it in some of our wines, namely in QUINTA DA RAZA COLHEITA SELECIONADA ALVARINHO, in QUINTA DA RAZA GRANDE ESCOLHA, a blend of Alvarinho with Trajadura, and in QUINTA DA RAZA COLHEITA SELECIONADA DE AVESSO COM ALVARINHO, three wines, with slightly different styles, that express the quality and structure of the variety, as evidenced by the three medals recently obtained at the international wine competition, Mundus Vini 2022. Gold for Quinta da Raza Selected Harvest Alvarinho 2021 and Quinta da Raza Selected Harvest Avesso Alvarinho 2019 and silver for Quinta da Raza Grande Escolha 2021.

 Our Alvarinho wines are delicate and aromatic, but well structured due to the skin maceration they undergo before fermentation.  They present an aromatic profile with notes of great complexity with orange blossom nuances.  The palate is fresh, with citrus and mineral notes and balanced acidity.

For all these characteristics, its harmonization is compatible with a wide variety of recipes.  Alvarinho goes perfectly with roasted or grilled fish, seafood with a strong flavor, oysters and Japanese cuisine.

Let yourself be carried away by the curiosity to discover or the desire to repeat and taste all the excellent characteristics of our Alvarinhos.

According to the website WineTourism.com – WWW.WINETOURISM.COM/ALVARINHO/,  Quinta da Raza is one of the best wine estates in the Vinho Verde Region to taste and discover Alvarinho.