Broadbent, Vinho Verde, Portugal

Vinho Verde, Portugal’s largest wine region,stretches from the Spanish border to south of Oporto. The soils are acid-rich and granite-based, with areas of schist or slate and clay. The slopes tend to be gentle in Vinho Verde, though some vineyards are planted on steep or terraced slopes. The region gets 1,500 mm (59 inches) of annual rainfall, which makes vinegrowing a challenge. Owing to this, many unorthodox growing techniques canbe seen in the region, including vines encircling vertical poles. The trademark fizz of Vinho Verde wines derives from the release of carbon dioxide during malolactic fermentation.