#AlbarinoDay #WorldAlbarinoDay
Albariño is a grape variety that has propelled itself to the forefront of the public’s wine-drinking consciousness in recent years. This is in no small part thanks to its accessibility, with its rich citrus and stone fruit aromatics and refreshing, peppy palate proving a suitable likeness to more familiar staples such as Sauvignon Blanc, whose ubiquity (and arguably, degree of sameness) has led inquisitive drinkers to look elsewhere for new and exciting alternatives. Additionally, commentators often attribute the proliferation of tapas culture into our dining scene to the gradual drip-feed of Albariño - an Iberian grape - onto our shelves. This is serendipitous, given its proclivity for pairing to fish and shellfish; a particularly useful quality given that we’re never too far from the coast or great seafood in these Isles. But what exactly is Albariño’s story? And where should one look to find the best examples of the variety?
Albariño is an old grape variety, claimed to have been brought to the Iberian Peninsula by monks in the 12th century. Somewhat polemically theorised to be a close relative of Petit Manseng and with a lineage hailing back to Middle-Ages France, today the grape’s classical home is undoubtedly Galicia (in Northwest Spain) and Northern Portugal. Here the variety is instrumental in the production of Rías Baixas DO and Vinho Verde DOC wines, respectively. Generally, on the Spanish side of the border the wines tend to exhibit peachier, more floral aromas and broader, richer flavours, whereas in Portugal the wines are more often taut and zesty with lemon-lime flavours, lower alcohol levels, and a hint of sweetness, as well as generally being the product of blends. Yet what marries both expressions of the variety are that they possess a common thread of fresh, zippy acidity and a wholly Atlantic, sea-breeze-tinged piquancy, often described as a mineral or salty finish. In both cases, Albariño has shown itself to be a true ‘vin de terroir’, i.e., capable of showing the subtle differences between place and site that all great wines of the world strive to do, and it’s because of this that plantings of the grape have begun to expand into other winegrowing regions of the world to varying degrees of success.
Burgeoning outcrops of Albariño include forays further south into Portugal and Spain, as well as into the dynamic and consumer-led Pays d’Oc appellation of Southern France, but most notably plantings have begun to take root in winegrowing regions spanning both new continents and hemispheres, with not insignificant holdings now recorded in the USA, South America, South Africa and New Zealand. In these areas, winemakers strive to make the clean, fresh wine styles that global consumers increasingly crave; marrying ripeness of fruit with a brisk acidity that is seemingly retained no matter where in the world the variety is grown. Additionally, producers are experimenting with different vinification and maturation techniques, including extended ageing of the wine on lees and maturation in oak barrels - all to improve body, texture and bolster complexity and age worthiness in the resulting wines of this progressively desirable variety. Whatever form in which you wish to enjoy the wine, or if indeed you’ve yet to try it under any guise, rest assured that these wines almost always represent excellent value for money, and it is in four such examples below that we wish to celebrate this World Albariño Day!
Altos de Torona Albariño 2022
Founded in 2000, Altos de Torona is a winery based in the southerly O Rosal subregion of Rías Baixas. Its 100 hectares of vines makes Altos de Torona the largest single estate in the region, planted mostly on the hillsides of the Monte Galeno and farmed using organic principles and a deep commitment to local biodiversity. This, the estate’s 2022 single varietal Albariño, is made up of vines grown on sandy, granitic soils which give an intense bouquet and aromatic complexity of spiced nectarine, citrus blossom, and smoky, mineral nuances. Steel-fermented and aged for 6 months on its lees before release, the result is a wine of tense kumquat and pink grapefruit flavours alongside a racy acidity, counteracted by a breadth of peachy fruit and fresh pastry on the unctuous mouthfeel. Finishing with the textbook Galician saline kick, this is a wine utterly borne of its Atlantic roots. Equally stunning as an aperitif, this wine is ideally served alongside steamed mussels, grilled padrón peppers, or even classic fish and chips.
Awarded 92 points and ‘Wine of the Week’ - Tim Atkin MW (September 2023)
Quinta Soalheiro Alvarinho 2023
Founded in 1974 by the Cerdeira family, Soalheiro is based in the Vinho Verde region of northern Portugal. While this appellation is known for the limey, slightly sweet, and slightly fizzy rendition of Alvarinho (usually blended with Loureiro or other indigenous varieties), Soalheiro (meaning ‘sunny’) have always pursued more serious, site specific, and age worthy expressions of the grape, usually culminating in single varietal bottlings which are fully dry in style. Located in the Melgaço subregion on the banks of the river Minho - which serves as the border between Portugal and Spain - the Alvarinhos here are capable of the intensity and structure exhibited by their cousins further north in Rías Baixas. This, Soalheiro’s flagship Alvarinho - which they call their ‘Clássico’ - was the first ever wine to be released by the estate and is sourced from the ‘patchwork’ of terroirs that makes up their vineyard holdings and those of the families of growers with whom they’ve worked alongside for decades, ranging from thin, granitic soils on the mountain slopes to deeper, alluvial and clay soils nearer the river. Aromatic notes of honeysuckle and Sichuan peppercorn leap from the glass before a palate that is concomitantly generous and zesty, with cantaloupe and pomelo flavours giving way to a stony, pithy finish. The consummate partner to pastéis de bacalhau (salt cold fritters) and gambas ao alhinho (fried garlic prawns), this JN favourite is the ultimate summer sipper.
Awarded 91 points - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate (April 2024)
Forrest Estate Albariño 2022
Drs John and Brigid Forrest have been crafting wines in the Marlborough region of New Zealand since the late 1980s. They decided to plant Albariño in their hottest site, as the assured ripeness of fruit counteracted by cool ocean breezes in this coastal portion of the South Island provided an analogous environment to that of the grape’s traditional home on the Atlantic coast of northwest Iberia. The more intense and longer hours of sunlight at these extreme southerly latitudes is evident from the aromas alone, with ripe apricot, orange blossom, and Nashi pear abounding on the nose. The palate is much fuller and fruitier than that of its Iberian counterparts, with generous honeydew melon flavours filling each sip, yet a streak of citrusy acidity and prickle of sherbet on the finish keep things linear and mouth-watering as the variety intended. Beautiful when served alongside seafood, naturally, this New World expression will also stand up well to chicken, pork, and spicy or aromatic dishes - think Thai or Vietnamese cuisine.
Awarded 90 Points - Raymond Chan Wine Reviews
Newton Johnson Albariño 2022
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards was founded in the mid-1990s by the Cape Wine Master, Dave Johnson and his wife, Felicity Newton. Based in Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Newton Johnson is renowned for producing some of the finest Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in South Africa. In 2008, they began planting Albariño vines based off cuttings sourced from UC Davis, which culminated in the first commercial South African Albariño produced as of the 2014 vintage. Here - this breezy and maritime climate on the Western Cape overlooking Walker Bay - the Newton Johnson’s believed to be a kindred terroir to that of the wet and cool Atlantic coast of northwest Iberia to which Albariño is accustomed, an assumption assured further by the granitic soils that both regions share and on which the grape particularly thrives. With the whole bunches of Albariño fermented using indigenous yeast in a combination of concrete eggs, steel, and old foudre, before being aged for 8 months in the same with no fining or sulphite adjustments, this is a complex interpretation of the variety with aromas of quince and mealy beeswax before a palate of tangy nectarine, apple blossom, and preserved lemon, finishing distinctly piquant and even slightly umami. Absolutely delicious when paired to Japanese cuisine: think fresh salmon sashimi, tempura, or steamed edamame; or alternatively with a classic, summery, Caesar salad.
Awarded 90 points - Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate (May 2024)
Enjoy!
