It's Time for Albariño!

August 1 is Albariño day. There's something I bet you didn't know - I didn't until a few weeks ago. I always thought it strange that there would be a special day for a particular wine - why not a week or a month? I'm not going to drink it only on that day; regardless, at least this business about a special day gets us thinking about Albariño- and that's a good thing.

Albariño is a dry white that is becoming ever more popular in America; certainly the public is moving away from big reds, preferring more elegant, drinkable wines and Albariño is there to fit the bill. The fact that it's a lovely aromatic wine with delicious fresh fruit is also a big plus - here is a wine that is a crowd pleaser and one that can be paired with gourmet fare.

Albariño is a dry white made from the eponymous grape grown in the Rias Baixas region of northwest Spain, not far from the border with Portugal (there are also some excellent versions of Albariño produced in Portugal, but for this post, we'll only deal with those from Spain). 

This is a continental climate, with the advantage of being located not far from the Atlantic Ocean, meaning that local vineyards receive cooling breezes from the sea, moderating temperatures. This helps preserve freshness and acidity, which make this an ideal region for the Albariño variety. In fact, 90% of the plantings in Rias Baixas are Albariño. 

This means dozens and dozens of producers craft their version of Albariño. I've enjoyed these wines for years; Albariño has become one of my favorite summer whites, although I enjoy it in the spring and autumn as well. Most are unoaked, letting the pear, melon and apple fruit aromas shine through; they're ideal paired with shellfish (paella would be a great match), risotto and lighter vegetables such as carrots and peas. I also love taking an Albariño to a BYOB Thai restaurant here in Chicago - they are especially great with spring rolls, noodles or chicken or pork with lime and peanut sauce.

Here are notes on a few I've tasted recently:

2014 Don Olegario - Light yellow; lovely aromas of lime, golden apple, white peach and lilacs. Medium-bodied with a dry finish with a hint of minerality. Very good complexity and balance. Great typicity - a delicious Albariño for enjoyment now and over the next year. Suggested retail price: $20 (Imported by Kobrand)

2011 Trico - While most examples of Albariño are enjoyed upon release, the best can age a few years. This 2011 is one of the finest examples of aged Albrariño I've tried in a few years. Deep yellow- still fresh aromas of Bosc pear, geranium, saffron and magnolia. Medium-full with very good concentration. Very good acidity, excellent concentration and nice structure. Enjoy on its own or with paella, risotto or a summer vegetable salad. $25 (Imported by Michael Skurnik)

2013 Trico "Tabla de Sumar"- Straw/light yellow; attractive aromas of honeysuckle, yellow peach and lilacs. Medium-full, this has bright, juicy varietal fruit, very good acidity and a zippy, zesty, finish. Tasty and very delicious! $15 - very good value (Imported by Michael Skurnik)

2013 Martin Codax Albarino - Straw/light yellow; aromas are a bit closed at present - hints of Anjou pear, white peach and lilacs. Medium-bodied, clean and well balanced with good acidity. Good typicity - this is pleasant now, but should open a bit and will probably reveal more complexity within another 10-12 months. $15 (Imported by Gallo)

Albariño at its Best

I spent Tuesday in New York City, attending the annual Portfolio tasting of Domaine Select Wine Estates, one of the country's finest wine importers. My main interest is with the Italian estates they represent, which includes names such as J. Hofstatter; Massolino; Fontanafredda; Gravner; Vodopivec; Corte Sant'Alda and Il Palazzone, to name only a few. Given this stellar lineup, I try and make sure my calendar is clear each year so I can attend this tasting.

But as they also represent some great small estates in France, Spain, Chile and Germany (as well as a few other countries), the Domaine Select tasting becomes for me almost an embarrassment of riches. Here was my opportunity to taste some artisan wines from around the world, so I did my best to sample as many products as I could. I'll write about a few of these producers in upcoming posts; today, I am sharing my thoughts on Zarate, an amazing producer of Albariño.

Bodegas Zarate, is among the oldest of family growers of Albariño grapes in Galicia in the Rías Baixas district in far northwestern region of Galicia in Spain. The examples of Albariño from this district, along with some excellent examples from Portugal (where the grape is known as Alvarinho) have elevated this variety into one of the finest in the world, capable of producing a wine that can be anything from a delightful aromatic white, ideal for early consumption to that of a mouth-filling white wine that is capable of improving with 5-7 years of age. The wines from Zarate are, as a group, not only the finest collection of Albariños I have tasted, but one of the most impressive groupings of white wine I've found from anywhere. These are white wines that have brilliant varietal purity, but even more importantly, possess a certain personality that I'd have to best describe as "soul". These wines are the result of meticulously farmed hillside vineyards along with exceptional work in the cellar from a team led by winemaker Eulogio Pomares.



Here are notes on the four bottlings of Zarate Albariño that I tasted:

2009 Albariño
Bright pear and lemon fruit; medium-full, with snappy acidity and a light minerality. Very good complexity and structure- enjoy over the next 2-3 years; pair with shellfish or lighter poultry dishes. ($24)

2007 Albariño "Tras de Viña"
Hints of almond in the aromas along with fresh pears; medium-full, this has vibrant acidity, distinct minerality and excellent persistence. This should drink well for 5-7 years and as it has more weight than this regular bottling, can stand up to roast pork or lighter veal preparations. ($30)

2007 Albariño "Palomar"
This wine is quite unique for several reasons. First, the vineyard used to source the grapes for this wine is 120 years old, which makes it the oldest vineyard in Rías Baixas. Secondly, the wine is barrel fermented, an unusual practice for Albariño.

I prefer no oak aging for this variety, so I was delighted to note that the wood was a supporting player in this wine; the aromatics continued to dazzle along with the outstanding depth of fruit. This is a massive Albariño, but never over the top or heavy. There are notes of dried pear along with chervil and the finish is quite long. The wine has vibrant acidity and superb structure and freshness and should drink well for another 7-10 years. Truly an exceptional wine! ($45)


2009 Albariño "Balado"
This is a barrel sample of a wine that is from a "clos", a walled vineyard. This wine is made only in the finest years; the 2009 is the first since the 2006 and only 1000 bottles were produced. Along with fresh pear and mango aromas, there is a note of saffron; quite rich on the palate, this has an exotic oiliness and lushness. Vibrant acidity and excellent persistence. Delicious now, but wait on this wine- probably best in 5-7 years, although it may drink well for a few additional years. ($45)

Check these out!

A few recommended new posts from my blogging brothers and sisters out there:

At Eat Wine, Liz Caskey, an American who now lives in Chile, normally addresses local foods and wines. Her new post (read here) is about three wines that her husband and she recently enjoyed. They include a gorgeous Maipo red, as well as a lovely Albariño from Uruguay (a surprise to many of us, but not to Liz) and a beautiful Ribera del Duero from Spain. Nice descriptions of the wines as well as some excellent food recommendations.

At The Blend, Alonso Cevola addresses a timely issue - some great rosés for summer (read here). This one's all about Italian rosés, from Piedmont to Sicily and there are got some great choices, including the 2008 Centine from Banfi. Alfonso, I've got a bottle at home and based on your recommendation, I'll try it tonight!

At The Wine Camp Blog, Craig Camp discusses his thoughts on all the new wine blogs out there and finds that it's a good thing! This one's about a month old, but it's definitely worth looking into (read here.)

Finally at VinoWire.com, Jeremy Parzen has posted his translation of a letter from the Consorzio in Alba that promotes Barolo and Barbaresco. The letter was sent to my friend (and Jeremy's blogging partner) Franco Ziliani in Italy; it has to do with a defense of the 2006 vintage in the Langhe. As influential producer Bruno Giacosa is not bottling any Barolo or Barbaresco from the 2006 vintage, doubts have been raised about the vintage. You can read the letter here; this is a fascinating issue that may not go away for awhile. I can attest to dozens of very good to excellent examples of Barbaresco from 2006 that I tasted in May in Alba (I'll taste the 2006 Barolos next year).

Falletto Vineyard of Bruno Giacosa, Serralunga d'Alba

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

We may never know the complete story as to why Bruno Giacosa made the decision not to bottle his 2006 Barolo or Barbaresco (he did bottle his 2006 Barbera and Nebbiolo d'Alba), but I see no reason for speculating on it- what's done is done. It is a shame that some "journalists" out there have put their own spin on this by claiming that this is a clear message that 2006 was not a succesful vintage in the Langhe. It was indeed - just try the wines! Kudos to Franco and Jeremy for reporting on this!

If you want to read more about the 2006 vintage in the Langhe, Franco Ziliani has just written an article for the Association of Italian Sommeliers site (read here).

This is an excellent article (in Italian) with comments from several producers of Barolo and Barbaresco. A few excerpts: Sergio Barale, a first-rate Barolo producer speaks of "the beautiful structure and color" of his 2006 Barolos and Barbaresco. Maurizio Giacosa of Fratelli Giacosa in Neive, talks about the aging potential of his 2006 Barbaresco, mentioning that they "are not inferior to his 2004 or 2005." Tino Colla of Poerdi Colla says that "2006 is in line with the two years that preceded it and with the two following years." In other words, 2006 is an excellent vintage!

A typicallly excellent article from Franco Ziliani and one that should clear up confusion about the quality of the 2006 Barolos and Barbarescos. Grazie, Franco!