Wines of Portugal

*Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.*

While a handwritten card and flowers are always appreciated, why not give your mother flowers in a different form? This year give your mother the ability to transport herself to the golden plains and beautiful mountains of Portugal with fresh spring whites and pretty rosés from Portugal.

Whether it be used to complement her favorite dish, share with a group of friends, or simply to relax on the couch after a long day, a wine from Portugal is a distinctive and decadent gift that will encourage the relaxation every mother deserves.

HERA is the Queen of Goddesses . . . The Goddess Hera symbolizes beauty and marriage.  The HERA wines each exhibit their own beauty with a perfect marriage of varietals, fruit and balance.  Wines for lovers.

The HERA Rose is a “Vinho Verde” of salmon color obtained from red grapes, vinified by the classical method of the white wines.  It is a fruity, semi-sweet, harmonious, fresh and versatile, ideal for the celebration of the emotions, the passions . . . for the lovers; a wind for the most relaxing moment s of all who fall in love for Life!  It is another wind in the path of the cosmopolitanism that characterizes the range “HERA” . . .

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CASA DE VILA VERDE: Located in the town of Lousada in the Vinho Verde region, Casa de Vila Verde is one of Portugal’s oldest estates.  The same family has been producing wine on the estate since the  middle of the 17^th century.  The winery was completely modernized in 1996, adapting advanced technologies to the traditions of the region.  The winery currently has 40 hectares under cultivation characterized by granitic soil, poor in organic matter and slightly acidic.  Unlike many Vinho Verdes currently on the market which are non-vintage and coop produced, Casa de Vila Verde is a true estate wine.  All grapes are grown at the winery, and the different grape varieties are harvested individually taking into consideration the climate, soil type and ripeness of each.  Each year this special wine is produced from the best combination of the different varietals.  The result is a Vinho Verde that is more complex and elegant than anything else in its category.


To purchase authentic Portugese wines, please visit: http://www.winesofportugal.com/us/

Our Thoughts:

I received two Vino Verde wines to try, the HERA Rose and Casa de Vila Verde White Wine.  I am not a great wine drinker – I do like an occasional sweet red wine, but I LOVE to cook with wine and want to learn more about pairing wines with food.

The HERA Rose is a nice semi-sweet salmon-colored wine – a little dry, not overly sweet, and leaves a nice smooth aftertaste.  I’ve enjoyed it after evening meals, and my mother liked it as well.

The Casa de Vila Verde White Wine is too dry and not sweet enough for my drinking taste, but I do enjoy cooking with it.  I have made a few dishes to which it adds a very nice flavor.  I love history, too, and I think it’s really cool to cook with wine made on an estate that’s been around for 400 years!

 Pictured is the lunch I made yesterday for myself and a guest; a chicken & apple stir fry made with the Casa de Vila Verde White Wine served on a bed of leafy greens, and then finished the meal with a taste of the HERA Rose.

***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***