Variety: Loureiro, Alvarinho, Avesso
Region: Vinho Verde (including the Lima River, Alavrinho de Moncao e Melgaco, and Avesso de Baiao sub-regions)
Cost: $12 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Yellow in color with green tones, it has a fresh and light bouquet, with floral, citrus, and stone fruit notes. It is fine and elegant on the palate, with good acidity. Long and refreshing finish.
My Review: I’ve always enjoyed Vinho Verde, and given one of my local wine shop’s fairly large selection of Portuguese wine, I’ve been easily able to keep my home in stock with a rotating variety from the region. Between the versatility, flavors, price point, and typically low alcohol content (making it perfect for a Tuesday night around our house), it’s something I try to keep at least a few bottles of on hand at all times.
Which brings us to the 2021 Bico Amarelo that I received towards the end of 2022. I’ve always really liked how Vinho Verde plays in the warmer months, but I’m a big believer that you can drink any wine during any time of the year (rose’ all year thank you very much), so we popped open this bottle on a weekend in January instead of in the depths of summer.
In the glass the wine was a light straw color. On the nose I got aromas of tropical fruit, notably pineapple. In the mouth the wine carried through the pineapple notes and was joined by green apple, citrus, and floral flavors that sort of creeped up the back of my throat to my nose (in a good way).
We paired the wine with a chicken we roasted in the oven along with some green beans and oven-roasted yukon gold potatoes. I thought the tropical and citrus notes were a great counter to the garlic and herb flavors of the chicken. It had more body than I usually associate with Vinho Verde, but I think that’s what made the 2021 Bico Amarelo so food-friendly for me; I could have paired this with a wide range of white meats or seafood and been very happy.
I really liked this wine, and for $12 it’s a great value to keep around your home. One worth picking up if you see it.
Disclaimer: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
