Verdelho is a white wine grape variety that can be used to make both sweet and dry wines depending on how it is vinified. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at verdelho, its flavor profile, the styles of wines it can produce, and major regions where it is grown.
What is verdelho?
Verdelho (ver-DELL-oh) is a white grape variety that originates from Portugal. It is believed to have been brought to Portugal sometime during the Middle Ages. Verdelho produces wines with aromas of stone fruits like peach and apricot along with citrus notes of lemon and lime. On the palate, verdelho is characterized by medium to high acidity and flavors of tart citrus, herbs, green apple and honeysuckle.
Verdelho thrives in relatively cool climate vineyard sites as the grape maintains good levels of acidity even when very ripe. It can grow well in a variety of soils but often shows distinctive mineral notes when grown in volcanic or granite based soils.
Verdelho has moderate vigor during the growing season and generally produces medium-sized, compact fruit clusters. It ripens at middle to late stages of the harvest period for a given region.
Styles of verdelho
Verdelho is a versatile grape variety that can be used to make dry table wines as well as sweet late harvest and fortified wines depending on the winemaking techniques used.
Dry verdelho
When made in a dry style, verdelho wines are aromatic and light to medium-bodied. They often have tangy acidity and citrus notes along with hints of herbs and stone fruits. Dry verdelho typically has around 13-14% alcohol by volume.
On the palate, dry verdelho is often described as crisp and refreshing. The natural acidity of the grape helps balance out the fruit flavors and creates a wine suited for drinking on its own or pairing with lighter seafood, poultry and vegetarian dishes.
Sweet verdelho
Verdelho also has a propensity for developing Noble Rot (botrytis cinerea) when conditions are right, leading to distinctive dessert wines that display intense dried fruit flavors balanced by brisk acidity. These sweet verdelho wines often have residual sugar levels over 100 g/L.
Late harvest verdelho is sometimes aged in oak barrels which contributes notes of caramel, vanilla and spice to the aroma and flavor profile. The sweetness is countered by verdelho’s high acidity which provides uplift and freshness to balance the rich dried fruit intensity.
Fortified verdelho
In regions like Madeira and Australia, verdelho is also used to produce fortified wines. Grapes are pressed off the skins early and fortified with a neutral grape spirit before fermentation is complete. This results in a soft, rich fortified wine that displays verdelho’s signature stone fruit and citrus characteristics.
Major regions for verdelho
Let’s take a look at some of the major wine regions where verdelho is grown and vinified into both dry table wines and sweet fortified or late harvest styles.
Portugal
Verdelho is native to Portugal and widely planted on the island of Madeira where it is the most dominant white grape variety. It is primarily used in fortified Madeira production where the wines take on an amber color and nutty, oxidized characteristics from barrel aging before release. Dry table wine production from verdelho is more limited in other parts of mainland Portugal.
Australia
Verdelho found a new home in Australia starting in the 1980s. Australia has embraced verdelho as both a dry table wine variety and for late harvest dessert wines. Major regions for Australian verdelho include the Hunter Valley, Margaret River and Riverina.
Dry Australian verdelhos in a fruity style are often unoaked and meant for early consumption. The cool climate regions like Hunter Valley and Margaret River produce verdelhos with a crisp, citrusy focus while hotter regions like Riverina make riper, fruit-forward examples.
United States
In the US, verdelho is mostly grown in California where it is used for dry wines with vibrant acidity. Washington State and Virginia are also experimenting with the variety.
Key characteristics of verdelho
Here’s a quick summary of the key characteristics of verdelho:
| Wine Style | Dry Table Wine | Late Harvest/Dessert Wine | Fortified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Level | 13-14% ABV | 9-13% ABV | 17-20% ABV |
| Residual Sugar | Dry, 0-10 g/L | Sweet, 50-150 g/L | Semi-sweet, 50-100 g/L |
| Acidity | Crisp, tangy acidity | High balancing acidity | Soft, smooth |
| Aroma/Flavor | Citrus, stone fruit, herbs | Dried fruits, honey, baking spice | Dried fruits, nuts, oxidized |
| Body | Light to medium | Full | Full |
| Oak Influence | None to light | Light to moderate | None to moderate |
Conclusion
In summary, verdelho is a versatile white grape variety that can produce dry, sweet and fortified wines depending on winemaking techniques. Dry verdelho emphasizes citrus and stone fruit notes with racy acidity. Sweet late harvest styles develop dried fruit flavors balanced by acidity. And verdelho fortified wines take on rich, nutty oxidized characteristics.
While it originated in Portugal, verdelho has found success in several new world regions like Australia and California where both cool and warm climate examples are made. The variety’s naturally tangy acidity allows verdelho wines to maintain freshness across various styles.
So in answer to the initial question: is verdelho sweet or dry? The answer is it can be both! Depending on how it is vinified, verdelho can transform from a crisp, dry white to an intensely sweet dessert wine. This diversity is part of what makes verdelho an interesting grape to explore.
