Södra Portugal Vita

Southern Portugal is far better known for its reds than its whites, but that doesn't mean that there aren't great bottles to be found. The dryer, hotter climate makes yielding precious acidic wine more challenging than it would be in the north. The fabulous coastal region of Alentejo produces some excellent wine from the Antão Vaz grape, which is known for being acidic, zesty and tropical fruit-heavy. Dry and hot are two words that commonly describe the growing regions of Southern Portugal. With as little as 23 inches of rainfall per year and summer temperatures often in excess of 100F, it's easy to see why it's considered difficult to grow great white wine. While this area is more commonly known for reds, Antão Vaz is a white grape that has won plaudits across the wine world. Thick skinned and often similar to a lightly oaked chardonnay, it's the flagship wine of the Vidigueira region. The wines of Southern Portugal love seafood, and work extremely well with some fresh fish, nice oily sardines or seafood paella.