Albariño is becoming more popular in South America as producers look towards their Spanish roots. How do they compare to Spanish Albariño?
Albariño
Albariño (Alvarinho in Portuguese) is a popular variety from Galicia, Spain. It’s also grown in Portugal, where it can be used in Vinho Verde white blends or in a varietal version of slightly fizzy Vinho Verde. Usually it’s a light, crisp wine with salinity from the Atlantic. For me, it’s sort of like a more intense and fruity Muscadet, so it goes well with seafood too.
South American Albariño
Although over 90% of Albariño is produced in Spain and Portugal, other regions have also started planting it. In South America, Uruguay was the first to really invest in it. I reviewed one from Garzon a while back, but it was Bodega Bouza that first started making it in 2004. Although they have a clear national red grape in Tannat in Uruguay, Albariño is the closest thing they have to a national white grape at around 8% of their total plantings.
It’s much less common in Argentina and Chile. For Chile, it has only emerged in the past few years among a handful of producers. I reviewed some Spanish and Chilean Albariño in a post about Galician varieties. The two Chilean producers that make Albariño featured in that post were Spanish winemaker Fernando Almeda and G2, two independent producers. However, I was surprised to find a large commercial producer like Los Vascos (owned by Lafite Rothschild) also making Albariño now. Therefore, it might be something people can start finding globally in the future.
I had never tried an Argentinian Albariño before, so I grabbed one for this comparison. It comes from Las Perdices, a relatively small production winery based in Lujan de Cuyo.
What’s nice about all these wines and most Albariño in general is their price. All 3 wines were less than $15. Similar to Sauvignon Blanc, it’s a relatively cheaper white option and rarely disappointing with seafood. However, if you don’t like green notes of Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño makes a nice alternative.
Tasting Notes
2022 Torres Pazo das Bruxas Albariño Rias Baixas
Fermented and kept in stainless steel. A fruity Albariño on the nose and palate with a savory side with good acidity. The palate has medium+ intensity and overall, it’s an easy to like wine. However, there’s some fizziness which I don’t think is intentional, so I have to take away a point for that. Not as citrusy, acidic or salinic as some I’ve had in the past, but should have broader appeal. 90
2022 Las Perdices Albariño Luján de Cuyo
They started planting Albariño in 2008 in Argelo. Hand harvested. Commercial yeasts. They make less than 2,000 cases.
Nose of apple and savory herbs of moderate intensity. The palate has more of a medium, creamy feel at first with fruit up front; more intensity than the nose with citrus, high acid on the back end. Some savory notes too. However, there’s also a bitter note. Overall, it’s also fruit forward but with plenty of freshness and mild savory, herbal notes but less than say a Sauvignon Blanc. 89
2022 Los Vascos Albariño Colchagua
I believe this is their first vintage of Albariño to come to market. Only 500 cases were made.
This was my favorite of the three. Fruity, floral and citrus notes on the nose. Most expressive on the nose of the three. The palate is the lightest of the three, but still good intensity and acidity. The most elegant of the three without sacrificing flavor. Despite not being far from the coast (like everywhere in Chile) in Peralillo, there’s not much of a saline influence in the wine like some Galician Albariño, but it’s well integrated, varietally correct and delivers a lot in a subtler way–true to the Lafite style. 91
Conclusion
Given the amount of coastline of Chile and Uruguay, there’s potential for Albariño to thrive and produce wines similar to that on the Iberian Peninsula with both fresh and salty notes. The Argentinian one was solid too. Although it’s not a coastal wine, Albariño could succeed at higher elevations of Mendoza or Salta. At the same time, I’d like to see Argentina stick with Torrontes since it’s a criolla grape only found in South America. In Chile, Sauvignon Blanc is already king of light, fresh whites, but as I said before, Albariño will have less green notes and more floral notes if that’s what you prefer.
I’ll be in California for a month and should have some geeky wines to write about when I get back.