Albarino is an aromatic white wine wariety from Spain. Many Australian winemakers are enthusiatic about its potential in Australia
This is a late ripening white wine variety whose home is the Rias Baixas and Galician wine regions of
North West Spain and Portugal. These areas, under the influence of the nearby Atlantic Ocean, are cooler
and wetter than the rest of Spain.
Detail from an excellent wine map from
De
Long's Wine Info, maker of the famous wine grape varietal table.
Some commentators believe Albarino is the same variety as Petit manseng which is widely grown in South-west France on the other
side of the Pyrenees.
In the north west of the Iberian Peninsula this variety produces light bodied wines with high acidity. The Portuguese Vinho Verde's made from this variety are often very light in body and alcohol, say 8.5%, reflecting the common practice of overcropping on pergola trellises in a warm, humid climate.
Albarino wines are very aromatic, redolent of peaches and apricots and can display a complex array of flavours, similar to Viognier but with much less weight.
It is no surprise to those who have tried these wines that this is now the most fashionable Spanish varietal white wine.
This variety has enormous potential in Australia which has
yet to be explored, but I think it needs to be given more extensive trials
in cooler regions, say the Mornington Peninsula, King Valley or the northern
slopes of the Macedon Ranges Region.
Wineries using Albarino grapes to make wine in Australia include:
- 919 Wines Riverlands
- Artwine Clare Valley
- Bago Vineyards Hastings River
- Brown Brothers King Valley
- Centennial Vineyards Southern Highlands
- Chapel Hill McLaren Vale
- Chrismont King Valley
- Crittenden at Dromana Mornington Peninsula
- Dunn's Creek Winery Mornington Peninsula
- Eumundi Winery Queensland Coastal
- First Drop Barossa Valley
- Gemtree Vineyards McLaren Vale
- Glandore Estate Hunter Valley
- Gracebrook Vineyards King Valley
- Irvine Eden Valley
- Kellermeister Wines Barossa
- Mansfield Wines Mudgee
- Omersown Wines Riverland
- Quarry Hill Wines Canberra
- Rusty Fig Wines South Coast Zone
- Stockman's Ridge Central Ranges Zone
- Symphonia King Valley
- Tamar Ridge Northern Tasmania
- Tscharke Barossa Valley
- Tuck's Ridge Mornington Peninsula
Albarino
is one of 184 varieties listed on the Wine Variety Table
See what reader Dan Traucki says about Irvines 2007 Albarino in his comments
Awsome albarino
You can add your comments to Dan's article, or write something yourself.
What should you eat with Albarino wine?
Spanish style seafood dishes or tapas are the the obvious choices for
food pairing with Albarino varietal wines. However it is a very versatile
variety and can be used in a similar way to Riesling with all manner of
seafood dishes, especially those with garlic. Paella, pastas and risottos
will be enjoyed with these wine as well.
See this Grilled octopus recipe
for a great dish to accompany albarino.
