Adega de Monção Vinho Verde is an absolute gem of a wine that is packed with an abundance of green fruit, apple and pear, along with richer stone fruit flavours which perfectly balance with the zippy, saline freshness that jumps from the glass. The wine is a blend of equal parts Alvarinho (Portuguese for Albarino) and Trajadura. It is, hands down, one of the best value wines we have tasted this year.

The Adega Cooperativa e Regional de Monção was created in 1958 by a group of twenty-five grape growers, who strongly believed that by working together with a common objective they would not only survive, but thrive, for many years to come. The groups numbers rose to sixty-six by the time they produced their first harvest together in 1962. Today, the co-operative is made up of 1720 producers, who collectively farm 1237 hectares of vineyards. They are a fantastic example of how a wine co-operative should work and not only have they maintained the quality of their wines to a high standard, but their wines are consistently amongst the best from the region.

Production is focused within the northern region of Moncao e Melgaco, which is one of the nine sub-regions of the more famous, wider region of Vinho Verde DOC. Although inland, the area is still influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and to a greater extend the Minho River, which brings relatively high rainfall and a mild climate with cold winters and hot, dry summers. It is here that the superior Alvarinho (Portuguese for Albarino) grape variety flourishes and produces wines of amazing freshness, texture and richness.