Forget the stereotype of thin, watery and spritzy Vinho Verde. Vinho Verde is a huge wine region, and the very best examples come from a sub-region called Monção and Melgaço (the village names), located in the very north of Portugal by the Minho River, which divides Alvarinho from Spain’s Albariño. The pretty, oceanic blue label is a tribute to Vinho Verde’s local grape growers and tile makers, and the juice inside fittingly captures the spirit of the cool and sunny north with sea salt breezes, tart lime, and cold peach. Sustainably farmed, with some vines dating back to 1910, the wine is aged in steel for four months on the lees, which bumps-up the texture from watery to lean. With its toothbrush acidity and dry-wet-stony finish, pop a bottle of Nortico with your favorite ceviche, salty things from the sea, and cured meats with a hint of spice. ~Allegra A