Afros Sparkling Vinhao Reserve – a red Vinho Verde, cracking with sardines!

Visting a leading Vinho Verde producer last Sunday, I was almost embarrassed to admit that my experience of sardines thus far has been limited to the tinned variety.  You see I’m not very keen on bones and, in the type of sardines I’ve eaten to date (OK, sardines on toast say 30 years ago), the bone to flesh ratio was pretty high. 

So, delighted to discover plump sardines in local dish sardinha de escabeche at Afros in Vinho Verde (pictured) and to blow another myth out of the water – this oily fish did work well with a red wine, Afros Sparkling Reserve Vinhao Vinho Verde 2008 (yep a red sparkling Vinho Verde).  Lamprey apparently works well too.  Though this sparkling red is not without tannins (an enemy of fish), freshness and bubbles are key to the match.  For a veggie combo with (still) red Vinho Verde, see here. 

My report on a really fun and foodie visit with Afros, Portugal’s only certified biodynamic producer, follows.