I was recently asked to navigate a posh Cotswolds pub wine-list and to recommend a white and a red for a private party. Their Albariño was the white I chose; it’s currently rather fashionable, particularly those from Rias Baixas in Galicia.
Albariño is also found in Portugal and is now produced in several Californian regions and also in Oregon. Albariño was also planted in Australia – or so the wine makers thought… They had actually been selling wrongly labelled Albariño for over a decade. They had, in fact been sold cuttings of Savagnin. A French expert visiting Australia raised questions in 2008 and DNA testing by those legends at the Swiss Grape Genome Project confirmed this. Almost all wine in Australia labelled as Albariño is Savagnin. Beware!
Should you beware of this wine? I ask because you may unwittingly buy it, like those Aussie winemakers, thinking it’s Spanish when it’s actually French…
Tasting notes: Pale straw colour. Light-bodied. Citrus notes on the nose. Relatively high acidity. Refreshing citrus flavours. Dry. I always think a good Albariño has a hint of saltiness – this one does. Short, crisp finish. Balanced, medium/high acidity. Good wine, fairly priced.
Wine Colour – White
Price – £9.99
Where do I get it from? Virgin Wines
Current Vintage – 2017
Producer – Virgin Wines
Grape – 100% Albariño
Region/Country – Languedoc/France
Verdict – Good wine for the price
Food pairing – seafood dishes.
