Vinho Verde is the largest wine region in Portugal and one of the most well known situated in the north-west part of the country between Spain's natural border the Minho River and Douro Valley alongside the Atlantic Ocean. The name of the region means "green wine" and it is related to the light, crisp and mineral white wines for which is famous on an international scale. The climate in Vinho Verde is quite extreme with its cool and rainy weather and topography with soils that are mostly granitic with some slate, but almost all vineyards are planted on granite. The proximity to the Atlantic Ocean accounts for its highly productive terroir, where rain and winds blow in from the Atlantic, allowing yields to rise much higher than they can in drier weather conditions. The regions most prominent and complex expression are coming from the sub-regions of Monção and Melgaço named after the towns which are on the Minho River in the north part where the king is the white Alvarinho grape. Vinho Verde wine region consists of 9 sub-regions including Cávado, Amarante, Ave, Baião, Basto, Sousa, Monção, Paiva and Lima.