Varietal Report - Albarino

The Albarino grape is found in Galicia region of north western Spain as well as in the Vinho Verde sub-region of the Minho province of Portugal where it is known as Alvarinho. Other names for the grape include Albarina, Alvarin Blanco, Alvarinha, Alvarinho, Azal Blanco, Galego, Galeguinho, and Cainho Branco. Albarino grapes are grown in maritime climates that tend to be cold and windy, because of this the vines are grown high and far apart to allow wind to pass through the open space between bunches. The height the vines are grown to is to prevent rot and mildew from the moisture they are exposed to. Other than the way the vines are grown, the grape’s thick skin is what allows it to survive in such harsh environments. Even with these advantages Albarino grapes have a low yield and are expensive to produce, but after they are cultivated they respond well to both malolactic fermentation and barrel aging. This makes them a wine that can be made in a variety of ways, even still most are aged in stainless steel to extenuate the fruity and acidic flavors. The thick skin is also why the wines made from this grape tend to be so aromatic. These grapes and the wine made from them are often described as having a sweet scent and aromas of almonds, apples, citrus, lime, peaches, grass, and flowers. These wines tend to focus on having a high acid content and sometimes even a slight carbonation, so most have low alcohol content. Along with their fruity scents and high acid content these wines are perfectly suitable for paring with seafood or as a refreshing beverage on a hot day.

Albarino is grown in both highly acidity granitic soil and sandy soil. In the granitic soil the grape often expresses a more mineral flavored wine with plenty of structure. When planted in sandy soils the grape makes a softer and more rounded wine. In 1988 Spain had less than 300 hectares of Albarino growing. Since Spain’s introduction of Rías Baixas into thier DO in 1988 and since then the demand for the Albarino grape and the vineyards growing it have grown substantially.  Rías Baixas is the premiere sub-region of Galicia for the Albarino grape and the wine made from it. Albarinos from this area are now sought after worldwide and have caused the growth of the grape both locally in Spain as well as

other countries starting to experiment with it. There are 1,800 hectares of Albarino in Portugal and 4,500 hectares of Albarino in Spain along with less than 20 hectare in California. The Albarino in Australia is being challenged as to whether is it truly Albarino or a clone that will be named Savignin, so I did not add the hectare of their vineyards.

Vinho Verde is one of my favorite lesser-heard-of wine so I was really excited to learn more about it and the grape that it is primarily made of. For the tasting I choose to buy and taste both a wine from Rías Baixas as well as Vinho Verde so I could not only get a good feel for the grape, but see how different regions express the grape differently. They were both great wines especially know that it has gotten hotter outside finally. The first wine I tasted was the Martin Codax Rias Baixas Condes De Albarei 2010. This wine lived up to what I was expecting, with a sharp nose that made the acidity and slight carbonation of this wine noticeable. Peach and citrus scents also came through on the nose to round out this wine, and make it known that drinking this wine is going to be a refreshing, invigorating experience. On the tongue this wine definitely had quite a bite and would be good for heavy creams and cheeses, because of high acid content of the wine. It is also obviously known for its traditional pairings with seafood dishes. Unfortunately I had to enjoy this wine without seafood, because I am allergic to shellfish and tend to just steer clear of anything that come out of the water. I was surprised to find out that this wine was 13.5% alcohol by volume. That is a slightly high number for Albarino which usually tops out around 12% and because you could hardly tell with the acidity and fruity flavors covering I up well.

I also tried a Vinho Verde called Caves De Cerca Vinho Verde Famega 2011. This wine had a very similar nose in terms of the crispness that was apparent, but is expressed more pear and apricot scents than the Albarino from Rias Baixas. Overall this wine was a lot smoother than the Albarino, but still had the acidic kick that is the staple of these wines. Part of the reason that this wine may have gone down a bit easier was the fact that it had a little less alcohol than the other wine, coming in at 10.5%. Oddly enough this is actually a little under a typically wine made with the Albarino grape, so I unintentionally got to try a wines not only from different regions, but on opposite ends of the alcohol spectrum for their particular variety.

In the Galicia region of Spain Albarino is certainly the dominant grape varietal, but in the inland region of Old Castile the Verdejo grape is vying for the top spot among Spanish white wines. Albarino is also known as the top white grape from Portugal, but coming in a close second from the mostly red region of Alentejo is the Antão Vaz grape.