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To beat summer heat, wine lovers often turn to vinho verde, a light, refreshing wine from northern Portugal that has enjoyed a boomlet the past few years. One sign of its popularity – several local wineries are producing their own “verde-style” wines with the hallmarks of sharp acidity and slight carbonation. But what exactly is this “green wine”? Here are five things to know about this popular summer sip. 1. The name There’s no agreed on explanation for the name, which apparently evolved around the 17th century when the wines were first exported to Britain. It could be a reference to the “green” underripe flavours of tart apples and lime blossom in the very fresh, raw wine. It could also refer to the lush green landscape of the Minho region in northwestern Portugal, where the Atlantic Ocean’s maritime influence produces a climate and terroir starkly different from the parched Mediterranean lands in the Algarve to the south. The Portuguese pronunciation is VEEN-yo VER-da, with the last syllable all but swallowed. If, like most people, you pronounce it VEE-no VERD-ee, the Portuguese winemakers will not complain. They will smile politely, pocket your cash and be happy you are enjoying their wine. Green wine comes in white, pink and red (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Very little red is produced. Both the whites and rosés are notable for tart acidity (those green flavours) and a slight spritz of carbonation, which combine to make them refreshing, especially in hot weather. They are intended to be enjoyed, not aged. In fact, many are not even vintage-dated because they’re not expected to last long enough for the year to be relevant. So drink up! 2. The region and the grapes Vinho verde is Portugal’s largest demarcated wine region, or appellation (though the administrative region is called Minho). There are nine subzones which generally do not appear on wine labels but may become increasingly important as winemakers explore different expressions of vinho verde. The main grapes are alvarinho (familiar to us as albariño) and loureiro, a crisp white often compared to riesling. There are several other varieties that are even harder to pronounce and noteworthy only if you are keeping track of varieties you’ve tasted. Alvarinho dominates the blends in the north (where the Minho borders Spain’s Rias Baixas region), and loureiro is more prominent further south. 3. That spritz Vinho verde has been exported at least since the 17th century. Back in the day, the wine’s signature spritz resulted from a little bit of sugar remaining as the wines were rushed into bottle before fermentation had finished. Today, the bubbles are added artificially by carbonation before bottling. The level of carbonation is up to the producer – some vinho verde can be quite fizzy, while others gently tickle the palate. 4. You can use it in cocktails Vinho verde’s fizz and still relatively low price make it an ideal foil for your summer mixology efforts. An ice cube, slice of lime and a splash of gin make a nice spritzer. It can also be a great base for sangria. 5. New styles are evolving While we think of vinho verde as a simple, enjoyable starter wine for a summer repast, some winemakers are producing more serious versions. These are usually made from a single variety (such as alvarinho or loureiro) and labelled with the vintage. Some producers are bottling single-vineyard wines to highlight a site’s granite or schist soils. “The wines are changing and moving forward with an international, incredibly bright and pure style,” says Eugénio Jardim, the brand ambassador for Wines of Portugal. He cited Anselmo Mendes and Quinta da Soalheiro as pioneers of this new style. “This is a region in flux, with the quality of wines soaring in recent years,” Jardim tells me. “This is not a one-note region.” © The Washington Post Read More Sierra Nevada lakes change more in past 100 years than three millennia How the climate crisis played a role in fueling Hurricane Ida Against the odds: The fight to save sea turtles in Ras Baridi The Norwegian sparkling wine aged at the bottom of the sea The curious history of sauvignon blanc – and what to drink if you hate it The Independent Wine Club best cases 2023: Wine from small growers

A mother of two has faced backlash after revealing that she packs her toddler a meal to eat out at a restaurant. Karlie Smith, a 21-year-old mother from Ohio, went viral on TikTok this week when she shared how she gets her two-year-old son to eat at a restaurant. “Call me cheap, call me whatever, but if we’re going out to a restaurant, I’m packing my kid a meal,” she began the TikTok, which has since been viewed more than 55k times. Smith, who goes by @unbreakablemomma on the app, shared with her followers that her family gets together for dinner on Friday nights, but this time was different because they were going to a restaurant. “My son is not getting food out,” she said, before explaining why she prefers to pack her son a meal ahead of time. “For one, you want me to pay $6.99 for chicken tenders and fries that my son is going to throw half of it on the floor, you’re crazy. Also, whatever I pack is probably gonna be healthier than what the restaurant has anyways.” The mom then showed the meal she had packed for her toddler, which included a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cut-up banana, mild cheddar cheese cubes, and a chocolate Lara bar stored in a plastic container. “Also, when we get to a restaurant, my child is not waiting for anyone to take his order – he wants to eat now,” she said. “I can just hand him this and let him go to town. Also, my child is not opinionated. He does not care what he eats; he just wants to eat.” However, Smith added that if her son wants restaurant food, she’ll order it. “Also, I usually get him chocolate milk because that’s his little takeout treat,” she said. “And after he finishes his food, he’s usually eating off my plate.” While Karlie Smith’s parenting hack may work for her family, many people in the comments section were outraged that she would deprive her son of restaurant food. Some TikTok users went so far as to claim it was a form of “abuse” to pack her toddler a pre-made meal. “My brother-in-law’s step-father used to do this to him as abuse,” read the top comment under Smith’s video. In response, the mother of two wrote back: “No one said I’d do this forever, I even said if he wanted something off the menu I would give it to him and share my meal, but he’s happy.” @unbreakablemomma ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey Others chimed in, “Stop throwing the word abuse around,” and, “At that age they don’t know the difference between restaurant food or a home-cooked meal. It’s far from abuse.” Some people also claimed that eating out at a restaurant should be a special occasion for everyone, including their young ones. “I just bring a snack for the wait but I think going out to eat is special for everyone, not just the adults,” said one TikToker. “In my house everyone eats out or no one eats out! My parents had the same rules!” another wrote. When one parent shared that they tried pre-packing their daughter’s meal once but they felt “so much mom guilt” for “leaving her out,” Smith replied: “I get it! Sometimes I take my son out for special mommy and me meals!” Despite the negative comments, many people still praised Smith’s parenting tip and told her to block out the haters. “This is actually genius. My son is so picky and I always end up paying for something he doesn’t eat,” said one TikToker. “Love this! My kid is autistic and doesn’t want to wait for the order to come,” another person said. “Go momma!!” “I thought everyone did this!!” said someone else. “Literally common sense to bring toddlers snacks while eating out!!? It’s like a parent hack.” However, it was Karlie Smith who had the last laugh when she poked fun at some of the backlash in a follow-up video. “What people think I do because I said I pack a meal for my two-year-old at restaurants,” she wrote over a separate TikTok video, which saw Smith act out outlandish scenarios, such as feeding her child a can of green beans and a raw onion. @unbreakablemomma Replying to @Kayla2022 the american girl doll is a paid actress ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey “You clap back at those haters, girlfriend,” said one fan. The Independent has contacted Karlie Smith for comment. Read More College student says didn’t know she was pregnant until baby was crowning due to ‘cryptic pregnancy’ A TikTok model made viral videos of her grandmother’s choice to die. Here’s why Mother speaks out after video about putting fake tan on baby goes viral

Formula 1 heads back to one of its most famous sites as Silverstone hosts the 2023 British Grand Prix this weekend. Last time out in Austria, Max Verstappen continued his dominant form with a fifth straight win this season, extending his lead in the world championship to 81 points, with team-mate Sergio Perez in second. EXCLUSIVE: 20 years since Irish ‘lunatic’ invaded the track at Silverstone Lewis Hamilton endured a mixed weekend in Spielberg, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished on the podium. Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris will be eyeing strong results this weekend at their home race, with recent upgrades for both Mercedes and McLaren renewing optimism in both camps. On Friday at a bright and sunny Silverstone, Max Verstappen was quickest in first and second practice. Carlos Sainz won last year’s action-packed race for Ferrari, his first and only win in F1. Follow British Grand Prix live updates with The Independent this weekend Read More Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes struggle as British Grand Prix gets Hollywood sprinkling Why is Brad Pitt filming at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix? Jackie Stewart suffers stroke and falls ‘unconscious’ in frightening health scare

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Last week we lost style icon Jane Birkin. The British It girl who achieved huge success in French cinema and music from the 1960s onwards had a lasting influence on fashion. For many, she remains the epitome of the laid-back, lazy-girl look — think jeans and a T-shirt, simple yet chic minidresses, and a whole lot of wide-leg trousers.

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