The 1st August is Albariño Day! If you haven’t tried Albariño before, listen up as this is going to be your new, go-to, all rounder, white wine. Trust me…
What is Albariño wine and where is it from?
Albariño is a white wine grape whose spiritual home is the naturally beautiful region of Rías Baixas in Galicia, northwestern Spain; a place characterised by its wet and wild,coastal climate given its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and a lot of granite in the soils. 90% of wine grapes planted here are Albariño; it is the white, fine wine region of Spain.
If you think of stormy seas, ripening lemons, wet rocks and sea spray, you’ll have an instant feel for these wines.
Albariño vineyards in Rias Baixas with their characteristic vine training system and granite poles to keep air circulating.
What does Albariño wine taste like?
Albariño has thick skin and ripens slowly. This contributes to its famously vibrant acidity and elegantly intense aromatics of citrus and peach. It also has a deliciously cool minerality, which makes it a wonderful pairing for fish and seafood.
Styles of Albariño
Winemakers in Rías Baixas have been experimenting with Albariño in recent years in order to offer varying styles of wine. Traditionally, the wine has been fermented in stainless steel and is made to be drunk young to preserve its super fresh character. We are however, seeing more and more wines that have seen some oak ageing and /or time spent on the lees (dead yeast cells from fermentation), which give the wines a creamier texture and more complexity of flavour. Wines made like this are more gastronomic, meaning they can handle richer flavours and textures when it comes to food pairing.
A classic fish dish made to go with Albariño
There are also some subtle differences in the wines from each of the five sub regions of Rías Baixas:
Val do Salnés: This is the largest sub-region, famous for its sandy soils and traditional vineyards and style of Albariño.
O Rosal: This subregion is near the Portuguese border where soils are more granitic. Other white grapes such as Loureiro and Treixadura are also grown here, so it’s a good place to try blends.
Condado do Tea: Located inland along the Tea River, Albariño here is a little more floral, thanks largely to the alluvial soils.
Ribeira do Ulla: Towards the north and along the Ulla River, this small subregion has a mix of granite, schist and alluvial soils and a slightly milder microclimate thanks to the river. Wines here are floral and vibrant with a particular tropical note.
Soutomaior: The smallest sub-region near the town of Soutomaior with granite soils and vines on steeper, terraced slopes, which help bring more minerality and salinity to the wines as well as a pronounced white blossom note.
More Albariño vineyards with granite buildings and supports.
Where to taste Albariño in the UK?
Head over to www.albarinoday.co.uk to find stockists as well as venues for tasting Albariño wine. Here are some of my favourites:
PLANET OF THE GRAPES
Leadenhall, Bull's Head Passage, London.
THE TAPAS ROOM TOOTING
Broadway Market Tooting, Tooting High Street, London SW17 0RJ.
EVUNA NORTHERN QUARTER
Evuna NQ, Thomas Street, Manchester.
evuna.com/restaurant/manchester-northern-quarter
THE ELM TREE INN
Shop Lane, Langton Herring, Weymouth, Dorset DT3 4HU.
Six Albariño wines to try:
Condes de Albarei 2022, Val do Salnés
Made by Adega Condes de Albarei, this is a super fresh, zesty white with delicate flavours of apricot and white peach.
£14.99 from The Wine Flyer
@condes_de_albarei
Torre la Moreira 2022, Condado do Tea
Made by Bodegas Marques de Vizhoja, this is a cracking, youthful Albariño with a soft texture and a pretty, floral character.
£13.40 from Vinissimus
@bodegasmarquesdevizhoja
Albariño Martin Codax 2022, Val do Salnés
Made by Bodegas Martin Codax, this is a brilliant introduction to Salnés Albariño with its lemon citrus acidity and salty kick.
£14.58 from The Great Wine Co
@bodmartincodax @martincodax_uk
Santiago Ruiz 2022, O Rosal
Made by Bodega Santiago Ruiz who are considered to be the fathers of Albariño, being the first to sell these wines from Galicia. This particular bottle is a blend of Albariño with Loureiro, Treixadura, Godello and Caíño Blanco.
£22.25 from DrinkFinder
@bodegasantiagoruiz
Turonia 2021, O Rosal
Made by Quinta Couselo with a touch of oak and 4 months on lees, this is a zesty, concentrated, lemony white with refreshing acidity.
£21 from Bottle Apostle
@quinta_couselo
Silandeiro Sobre Lías 2022, Val do Salnés
Made by Bodegas Gallegas, this lees aged Albariño has a gorgeous, lemon peel, white peach and honeysuckle nose and a deliciously silky mouthfeel.
£23.95 from Mothervine
For more in depth information on the delicious wines of Rias Baixas, visit www.riasbaixaswines.com