Loureiro

Loureiro carries the VIVC prime name Loureiro Blanco, variety number 6912, with a white (blanc) berry skin. VIVC records Spain as its country of origin and Amaral and Branco Escola as its parents, a full pedigree that the passport gives as confirmed by markers. No offspring or siblings are linked to Loureiro in WineWiki's VIVC-derived lineage data.

• VIVC prime name: Loureiro Blanco; VIVC variety number 6912; berry skin colour: blanc (white)
• Country of origin in the passport: Spain
• Parents: Amaral and Branco Escola (full pedigree, confirmed by markers)
• Offspring and siblings: none linked in WineWiki's lineage data

Wines of Portugal places the grape's likely birthplace in the valley of the River Lima, towards the north of the Minho and Vinho Verde region, and today it is widely spread throughout Vinho Verde. Traditionally, Loureiro was more often blended with Arinto (Pedernã) and Alvarinho, or with Trajadura. It has only recently been recognised as a "noble" variety, and it is now much in evidence bottled on its own.

• Likely birthplace, in Wines of Portugal's account: the valley of the River Lima, in the north of the Vinho Verde region
• Traditionally used as a blending grape before gaining recognition as a single varietal
• Also grown, increasingly, across the border in Galicia, Spain, where it is called Loureira

Loureiro is a very vigorous, high-yielding variety.

• Very vigorous and high-yielding

Loureiro wines usually have refreshing, well-balanced acidity. Their aroma is likened to laurel flowers, with orange blossom, acacia and lime blossom over apple and peach fruit. In the Rías Baixas DO, where the grape is called Loureira, it is valued for aromas and flavours that recall laurel, and the Rías Baixas DO considers its low sugar production and high acidity ideal for multi-variety blends.

• Refreshing, well-balanced acidity
• Aromas of laurel flowers, orange blossom, acacia and lime blossom over apple and peach fruit
• In Rías Baixas, low sugar production and high acidity

Loureiro is widely spread throughout Portugal's Vinho Verde region. In 2025 it held 24% of the 23,272 hectares of vineyard in the Verdes wine region, the largest share of any variety, in Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho figures. It is bottled as a single variety as well as in its traditional blends. Across the border in Galicia, Spain, it is grown increasingly as Loureira, and Loureira blanca is among the white grapes of the Rías Baixas denomination.

• Largest share of the Verdes wine region's vineyard in 2025, at 24%, in Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho figures
• Listed among the white grapes of the Rías Baixas DO as Loureira blanca
• Bottled as a single variety alongside its traditional role in blends

Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=6912 ; https://www.ivv.gov.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Anuario_IVV_2025.pdf ; https://winesofportugal.com/en/portuguese-wines/grape-varieties/loureiro/ ; https://doriasbaixas.com/doriasbaixas/variedades-de-uva-rias-baixas/ Reference sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/loureiro Last verified 2026-10-20