#2: Albariño. A Delicious White Grape Variety from Spain and Portugal, and One of the Most Delicious Wines Ever
Albariño is an aromatic, generally light-bodied, fresh white wine with mouth-watering acidity. Albariño is an indigenous white grape variety from Galicia in northwest Spain as well as northwest Portugal's Vinho Verde region. It primarily delivers crisp citrus, stone fruit, and light floral flavors with a saline edge. It is sometimes oak matured and aged.
TASTING NOTE
APPEARANCE
Clarity
Should be clear
Intensity
Pale intensity
Color
Lemon or light straw color with flecks of green
Other Observations
Young wines may contain a little residual CO2
AROMAS ON THE NOSE
Aroma Intensity
High intensity of aromas
Aroma Characteristics
Tells
Salinity; warmer/tropical fruits
Expect a young, phenolic wine for blind tasting; aged Albariño with extended lees contact is not the typical wine for blinding
Primary Aromas
Fruit: ripe citrus (orange rind, Meyer lemon, ruby red grapefruit)
Stone fruit: peach, apricot, nectarine
Tree fruit: fresh green apple, honeydew melon
Floral: white and yellow flowers (honeysuckle, orange and apple blossom)
Mineral: saline, crushed rocks
Secondary Aromas
In testable expressions, there will be no secondary aromas.
In the real world, some Albarino producers introduce oak aging, so there may be a fuller, creamier mouthfeel in some expressions. If oak is applied, winemakers favor neutral barrels that do not impart heavy vanilla, dill, or other flavors typical in new oak.
Tertiary Aromas
None because the wine is not normally bottle aged
Aroma Development
Youthful
PALATE & STRUCTURE
Sweetness is Dry
Acidity is medium plus
Tannin: n/a
Alcohol is medium plus
Body is medium
Mouse: n/a
Flavor intensity is pronounced
Flavor characteristics echo the primary aroma characteristics - warm tropical fruits, fresh citrus, elevated phenolics, salinity, and minerality
Finish is medium
DISTINCTIONS FOR BLIND TASTING
Member of the "Bermuda Triangle" of blind tasting white wines: namely Albarino, Gruener Veltliener, and Pinot Grigio.
All three grapes are usually made without new oak and in stainless steel. Therefore, they have elevated acid and moderate to elevated alcohol.
They also present some phenolic bitterness due to brief maceration with the skins.
For blind tasting purposes, a classic expression of Albarino should present a definitive floral character (these are Terpenes). Also consider orange rind and tropical fruits. It is best to select a blend of Albarino picked from multiple locations across Rias Baixas.
Grüner Veltliener leads with a peppercorn aroma (this is sesquiterpene rotundone - also found in Syrah)
A richer, more alcoholic "Groovy" - like Smaragd from the Wachau - may present honey and ginger from botrytis. This should never occur in Albariño
Grüner will have more grapefruit aromas than Albariño (grapefruit = thiols)
Pinot Grigio is less floral than Albariño.
Melon aromas are more typical in Pinot Grigio, versus peach, tropical, and organe citrus freshness in Albarino.
Pino Grigio on a blind tasting exam should not be overly aromatic; the focus should be on richer texture than Albarino.
HISTORY
PARENTS
Undetermined; genetic testing suggests a close relationship to Loureiro and possible parantage with Caiño Blanco
OFFSPRING
N/a
ORIGIN
Native to Portugal and Galicia, Spain; previously thought to be brought to Iberia by Cluny monks in the 12th Century
PSEUDONYMS
Albarina, Alvarin Blanco, Alvarinha, Alvarinho, Azal Blanco, Galego, Galeguinho, and Cainho Branco (in Portugal)
NAME
Derived from the Latin albo<albus, meaning "white, whitish"
VITICULTURE
GRAPE CHARACTERISTICS
Thick skins, small berries, mid-budding, early to mid ripening
CLIMATE
Maritime
PREFERRED SOILS
Well-drainings sand and alluvial topsoils with stoney subsoil (granite is desirable)
LOCATIONS OF PRODUCTION
Spain: ~32,500 acres / 13,150 hectares (Rías Baixas)
Portugal: ~14,300 acres / 5,782 hectares (Minho / Vinho Verde)
California: ~300 acres / 121 hectares (Central Coast)
Uruguay: ~150 acres / 60 hectares
Others: Australia, Argentina, Chile, Brazil
WINEMAKING
STANDARD TECHNIQUES
Stainless steel; some producers use oak
BLENDING PARTNERS
Usually single variety
But can be blended with Louriero, Treixadura, and Caiño
NOTABLE VINTAGES
Drink in 1-3 years; some barrel-aged examples can go a bit longer
SERVICE AND FOOD PAIRING
SERVING TEMPERATURE
4-7 C (38-45F)
GLASSWARE
White wine glass
FOOD PAIRINGS
Ceviche, seafood risotto, grilled (or fried) fish
Oysters, mussels, and clams
Grilled artichokes, herb pesto, fried zuccini
Cheese pairings include soft cheeses like burrata or semi-hard cheeses such as manchego, gouda and and feta to complement its salinity
PRODUCERS TO KNOW
CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:42 Tell
00:54 Parentage
01:03 Origin
01:11 Pseudonyms
01:26 Origin of Name
01:30 Production
01:45 Viticulture
02:16 Appearance
02:26 Aromas
03:29 Structure
03:45 Service
04:00 Producers
04:07 Distinctions
05:33 Vintages
05:55 Pairings
SOURCES
Guild Somm - https://www.guildsomm.com/
The Oxford Companion to Wine - https://www.jancisrobinson.com/ocw
Vivino - https://www.vivino.com/US-NY/en/
Wikipedia - https://www.wikipedia.org/
Wine Folly - www.winefolly.com; https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/all-about-albarino-wine/
Wine Searcher - https://www.wine-searcher.com/
