Loureiro
A grape guide
Loureiro
If you have ever had a Vinho Verde white wine, chances are you have had this grape. Loureiro is one of the most common grapes used to make the famous Vinho Verde white wines from Portugal. Usually it is combined with Trajadura, Pedernã (also known as Arinto) and Alvarinho to make the light bodied, easy drinking, sometimes slightly effervescent wines. But it also makes incredible single varietal wines.
Loureiro means laurel or bay leaf. When it is a single varietal wine, you will get hints of bay leaf aromas. The grape makes wines that are low in alcohol, high in acid and aromatic.
The Loureiro grape has been documented dating back to the 18th century. However, many believe it dates back to the Romans. Up until the 1960’s it was almost exclusively found in the sub-region of Lima (see map above). Now you can find it throughout the Vinho Verde wine region and also in Galicia, Spain.
The Loureiro grape grows vigorously. And while this sounds like a great thing, it’s not as much in the world of wine. It basically means a lot of extra care and time need to go into vineyard management otherwise the grapes will become diluted and the wine will not be as flavorful. The care doesn’t stop in the vineyard. Loureiro grapes are prone to early oxidation so care is also taken in the winery. In order to combat this issue, a lot of winemakers will inject the wines with carbon dioxide. This ensures the quality of the wine, it also adds a little effervescence.
