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The albarino grape, though relatively unknown in Asia, makes an ideal white wine for summer.

The grape is known as albarino in Galicia in northwest Spain but is spelled alvarinho in neighboring Portugal. There it is sometimes known as cainho branco. In all cases it is used to make varietal white wines.

Various reference books suggest Cluny monks brought the grape to the Iberian peninsula in the 12th century. The term “alba-rino” means “white [wine] from the Rhine,” which suggests it could have been a riesling clone from either Germany or the Alsace region of France. Some oenologists have theorized the grape is a relative of the French variety petit manseng.

California grows albarino in the Santa Ynez Valley, and around the towns of Clarksburg and Los Carneros.

Australia started selling albarino as a varietal wine from the end of last century until, in 2009, DNA tests confirmed that the grapes were savagnin blanc.

Viticulturalists in Australia had been sold cuttings of French savagnin grape by mistake, meaning that almost all wine in Australia labeled as albarino were in fact savagnin.

Spain produces a lot of albarino in the Rias Baixas “denominacion de origen” (DO), or region of origin, around the town of Cambados. DO is the Spanish food and wine classification code, similar to the French appellation system.

Alvarinho is also common in the Vinho Verde region of northern Portugal, but officially it is only allowed to be grown in Monaco and Melgaco.

The grape is best known for its distinctive aroma. I tried a 2009 Pazo de Barrantes from Rias Baixas. The nose is very similar to gewurztraminer, an aromatic wine grape variety, with hints of musk, rose petal and lychee, and sometimes apricot and peach. The flavors tend to depend on the level of ripeness of the grapes.

The wine feels light in the mouth and is appropriate for drinking on a summer day in Asia. The acidity in this grape variety is generally high, as was the case with this wine. This acidity gives a feeling of freshness and helps it cope with oily or fatty foods.

The few years in bottle meant the 2009 edition had taken on a golden sheen, and the wine has a bone dry finish. Alcohol levels tend to be moderate, around 11.5 percent to 12 percent. This is an easy-to-drink wine with lots of character.

The other major white wine variety Spain and Portugal share is verdejo (in Spain) or verdelho (in Portugal).

Verdejo is grown in the Rueda region of northern Spain, near the river of the same name. In Portugal to the west, the grape variety is known as verdelho, and the river and region changes its name to Douro. Flavors change depending on the terroir where the grape is grown.

Wines designated as Rueda Verdejo must contain a minimum 85 percent of verdejo. Grapes are generally harvested at night to ensure they are kept between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. The aim is to retain the fresh fruit flavors.

If harvested during the day in September, when temperatures can reach 30 degrees, the juice will become oxidized and lose its freshness.

Verdejo wines are usually full-bodied yet soft, with medium acidity. They smell herbaceous and flowery, and they pair well with most seafoods. These wines should be served cold, so an ice bucket is a necessity during the summer.

I tried a 2010 Marques de Riscal from the Rueda region. It was light and fresh and had a citrus tang. I found it quite refreshing, though verdejo does not have the pronounced aromas of albarinos.

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