What is Albariño wine? Albariño is a white grape from Galicia in north-west Spain. It grows mainly along the Atlantic coast, and the best-known wine region is Rías Baixas (DO, since 1988). It lies mostly in the province of Pontevedra and in the south of the province of A Coruña. More than 90% of the wine from Rías Baixas is white, and most of that is Albariño. That is why wine from the region is often simply called Albariño.
Where does Albariño come from? Rías Baixas has five subzones: Val do Salnés, O Rosal, Condado do Tea, Soutomaior and Ribeira do Ulla. Val do Salnés lies on the cool, damp coast, is the most important zone and produces fragrant wines with fresh acidity. Condado do Tea lies further from the coast, is the warmest zone and gives riper, fuller wines. In O Rosal, close to the Portuguese border, the vineyards sit on terraces on south-facing slopes. Soutomaior is the smallest subzone and is known for mineral wines from granite soil. Ribeira do Ulla, just south of Santiago de Compostela, produces medium-bodied, highly aromatic wines.
What makes Albariño wine special? The climate is Atlantic: plenty of rain, mist and mild temperatures. Sea mist cools the vineyards in summer, so the grapes ripen slowly. This gives aromatic grapes with fresh acidity. Albariño has thick skin, which helps protect it from mildew in the damp climate. The vines are often trained on pergolas on granite posts, which keeps the grapes dry and gives them plenty of sun.
In many zones the soil is granite. This is often linked to the mineral note you taste in many Albariños.
What does Albariño taste like? Albariño has a pale, straw-yellow colour, sometimes with golden or greenish tones. The aroma is intense and complex, with citrus, apple and blossom. Depending on origin, winemaking and age you may also taste stone fruit and honey. On the palate the wine is balanced, with fresh acidity and a fruity finish.
Which styles of Albariño are there? Albariño is best known as a fresh, dry white wine without oak. Still, winemakers in Rías Baixas make different styles, from light and fresh to creamy and aged. What you taste depends on where the grapes grow and how the wine is made: in stainless steel, on the lees or in oak.
Albariño in stainless steel: fresh and fruity This is the classic style that made Albariño famous. The wine is fermented cool and kept in stainless steel, usually bottled within a year of the harvest and not aged in oak. This keeps the fruit pure. You taste citrus, apple and blossom, with lively acidity and sometimes a salty, mineral touch. This Albariño is best drunk young, within a few years of the harvest.
Albariño on the lees: rounder and creamier With lees ageing, the wine stays in contact with the dead yeast cells for several months after fermentation. This adds texture: a rounder, creamier mouthfeel and often riper fruit, such as white peach and mandarin. The fresh acidity remains. Choose this style if you want more body in your white wine.
Albariño in oak: weight and a hint of spice A smaller group of winemakers ferment or age the wine (partly) in oak barrels of up to 600 litres. This adds weight, a softer structure and a hint of spice. Within the DO this is called Barrica, with the ageing period stated on the label. Too much new oak overpowers the fruit, so oak is used carefully with Albariño.
Aged Albariño Albariño is usually drunk young, but more and more winemakers are exploring how the wine develops over the years. Wines aged for longer on the lees in particular can become more complex, with notes of honey and ripe fruit. The market for aged Albariño is still small, so for most bottles drinking young remains the best choice.
Which Albariño should you choose? Find the style that suits you Not every Albariño tastes the same. Which one suits you best depends on what you like and when you are drinking it. This guide helps you find the right style quickly.
You like a fresh, dry white wine. Choose Albariño in stainless steel. This is the classic, young style with citrus, apple, lively acidity and sometimes a mineral touch. It is also the best choice if you are trying Albariño for the first time.
You want a rounder, creamier white wine. Choose Albariño on the lees. The acidity stays fresh, but the wine has more volume and riper fruit, such as white peach. A good step up if a regular fresh white sometimes feels a little thin.
You are looking for weight and a hint of spice. Choose Albariño in oak. It has more structure and a softer, fuller taste, with slightly less pure fruit. Look for the word Barrica on the label.
You are serving it as an aperitif or on a warm day. Choose the classic stainless steel style and serve it well chilled. Light, fresh and easy to drink.
You want something special or want to keep the wine. Choose an aged Albariño, preferably one aged on the lees. Do not keep it too long: most Albariño is made to be drunk within a few years.
Looking for a white wine in the same direction right now? Choose fresh, light Macabeo or fuller, softer Garnacha Blanca . Below you will find two white wines you can order now: a fresh Viura (Macabeo) from Rioja and a mineral Treixadura from Galicia.
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A fresh Viura from Rioja and a mineral Treixadura from Galicia, available to order now.
Albariño and other white wines from Galicia Besides Albariño, other white grapes are permitted in Rías Baixas, such as Treixadura and Godello. These are also two of the best-known grapes of Ribeiro , another Galician wine region. Albariño itself is not in our range yet, but white wine from Galicia is: the Napedra Treixadura Granito from winemaker D'Vagar Adegas in Ribeiro, above.
What food goes with Albariño? Albariño is lively and aromatic and goes best with fish, shellfish and seafood. In Galicia it is drunk with fresh shellfish from the coast and with fish dishes served as tapas.
Thanks to its freshness, Albariño also makes a fine aperitif, for example on a warm summer day. Want something to try now? Our Spanish white wine goes with the same dishes.
Albariño, Macabeo or Garnacha Blanca? Albariño, Macabeo and Garnacha Blanca are all Spanish white grapes, but they differ in style. Albariño is fragrant and fresh, with citrus, apple and blossom. Macabeo , also called Viura, is light and easy to drink, with apple and citrus. Garnacha Blanca is fuller and softer, with ripe white fruit such as pear. This makes it easy to find the style that suits your taste.
Buy Albariño at ONWINE At ONWINE you buy wine directly from the winemaker. Albariño is not in our range yet, but will be available soon. Until then you can try our other Spanish white wines. That way you discover which style suits you before the first Albariño arrives.
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Frequently asked questions about Albariño Which grape is Albariño? Albariño is a white grape from Galicia in north-west Spain. The best-known region is Rías Baixas.
Where does Albariño come from? Mainly from Rías Baixas in Galicia, along the Atlantic coast. The region has five subzones: Val do Salnés, O Rosal, Condado do Tea, Soutomaior and Ribeira do Ulla.
What does Albariño taste like? Fresh and fragrant, with citrus, apple and blossom, sometimes also stone fruit and honey. The colour is pale straw-yellow.
What food goes with Albariño? Mainly fish, shellfish and seafood, and fish dishes served as tapas. Albariño is also a good choice as an aperitif.
Can I buy Albariño at ONWINE yet? Not yet. Albariño will be available soon. In the meantime, take a look at our Spanish white wine , directly from the winemaker.
