Apr
19
Spain’s albas
Filed Under EN
We tend to think of Spain as red wine country, por excelencia. Everyone agrees that the Iberian peninsula as a whole turns out some of the world’s great red wines (and certainly red wine values), but Spain is no slouch in the white wine department either. Never has been.
Its greatest white wine is sherry, not only Spain’s but perhaps the world’s most overlooked white fine wine. Other white wines of note issue from Spain, too, and here is a short list of them by grape variety, with many recommended examples.
Albarino
Wine from this white grape is getting as much attention as sherry is not. It is the star of the region Rias Baixas (REE-ahs BUY-shass), a fjord-etched section of Galicia in northwestern Spain. Albarino almost always appears as the name of the wine on the label, a striking difference from most of the rest of Spain where wines are named after places.
Its name comes from “alba,” the poetic term in Spanish for “white,” and so means “the white from the Rhine.” It’s believed that the albarino originated from vine cuttings of (perhaps) riesling brought to Spain from France or Germany during the 12th century by Benedictine monks on pilgrimage to the great shrine of Santiago di Compostela.
Think of it as a feathery version of viognier, with effusive scents of peach or apricot, yet with riesling’s tangy acidity at the finish. Some winemakers produce albarino of greater weight by extracting more from this relatively thick-skinned grape, but it I consider it prettier when left unmanipulated.
After the Spanish mentions, I include some examples of albarino made in our country. As it did long ago when relocating to Spain, it emigrated with fine success to our West Coast. (All Spanish albarino are Rias Baixas appellation.)
2010 Adegas Valminor Albarino Serra De Estrela: The best value that I found, greater than average albarino weight for little outlay. $15
2010 Adega Condes de Albarei Albarino: Softer version, with tastes and savors a mix of melon and lemon. $15
2010 Marques De Caceres Albarino Deusa Nai: A salinity of a sort to make the mouth juicy, tasting like a grain of sea salt on a slice of Granny Smith. $16
2010 Bodegas Terras Gauda Albarino “Abadia De San Campo”: Super-incisive; taut, lemonlike acidity; looking for food (fish!). $20
2010 Pazos de Lusco Albarino Lusco: For the money you get six months’ lees contact that adds texture and depth; doesn’t skimp on minerals either. $32
2010 Abacela Albarino, Umpqua Valley, Oregon: My favorite USA albarino ’cause you wouldn’t know it wasn’t Galician; gobs of scents and tastes of ripe Bosc pear, citrus, green apple and mineral; the new vintage, the 2011, is equal in savor, just fresher. $18
2010 Bodegas Paso Robles Albarino Galicia, Paso Robles, California: Piano-wire acidity, lean and green and in need of eats. $18
2010 Tangent Winery Albarino Paragon Vineyard, Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo, California: A favorite winery of mine for the purity of flavor evident in all its offerings; this albarino is clean, fresh, citrusy, but also juicy, even succulent. $18
2010 Richard Longoria Albarino Clover Creek Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley, California: A whirling, Lazy Susan of a mouthful of flavors of lemon, peach, honeydew, chalk, swaddled in cream and framed with snappy acidity; terrific. $23
Other white grapes
Spain hosts dozens of both indigenous and so-called international white wine grape varieties, far too many to concern here. But check out these recent finds; I vouch for them as terrific and delicious.
2010 Bodegues Sumarroca Vi Blanc Temps De Flors, Costa Catalana: Have this mix of xarel-lo, muscat and gewurtztraminer all summer-long with any number of foods, cool or warm; aromatic, textured, zesty; just delicious. $15
2010 Resso Garnacha Blanca, Catalunya: Amazing for the money, big on aroma and crisp on the tongue; go for fish. $8
2008 Celler Pardas Xarel-lo, Penedes, Cataluyna: Call this Spain’s white Burgundy for its combo of presence on the palate, lush texture, hints of citrus and mineral, and a finish with a whisper of bitter almond; a native grape gone stylish, with as many layers as a chunk of mica. $29
If your wine store does not carry these wines, ask for one similar in style and price.
Bill St John has been writing and teaching about wine for more than 30 years.
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