Arinto

Arinto — known as Pedernã in the Vinho Verde region — is one of Portugal's great white wine grapes, the backbone of the historic Bucelas appellation just north of Lisbon. It is prized above all for its racy, lemony acidity, which it holds onto even in warm years, giving wines that are crisp, fresh and built to last. Typically light-to-medium-bodied and dry, Arinto leads with green apple, lemon and lime over a chalky, mineral edge, with a subtle floral lift when young. Unusually for a fresh white, it ages very well in bottle, gaining nutty, honeyed complexity over several years. Whether bottled on its own in Bucelas, blended into the tangy whites of Vinho Verde, or used to lend backbone and freshness to blends across Lisboa, the Tejo and the Alentejo, it is one of the most versatile and food-friendly whites in the country.