2008 Arca Nova Vinho Verde, North West Portugal (£7.95, Vinoteca 020 7253 8786; £7.75, Kensington Wine Rooms 020 7727 8142; £6.30 www.slurp.co.uk). Nothing quite signals the start to the summer like a glass of ice cold Vinho Verde.This exquisite style of ‘light’ (it is only 10.5% alc) white wine is utterly heavenly with or without grub.Made from two massively underrated white grapes, Loureiro and Arinto, the zest for life and energy in this particular version is wild and untamed.For a very small outlay you can get your entire olfactory system in the mood for a party with just one, OK, two glasses of this nerve-tingling white.But for a truly mesmerizing food and wine experience grab a massive handful of unpeeled prawns, rip them to shreds with your fingers and use your left hand to squeeze lemon juice and you right to marshal the glass – turning your whole body into a prawn chomping, Vinho Verde-slotting hero.You will be so hypnotised and in such bliss that you and your pals won’t speak until every last morsel has disappeared!Bargain-priced and so much trendier than Sauvignon Blanc, get ahead of the scene and arc up your senses with Arca Nova!
