International Albarino Day – 1st of August

Although this grape variety is quite rare in most countries except for Spain and Portugal, you might have come across some Albarino, Albariño or Alvarinho wines – so which one is it? Albariño is the Spanish spelling for this white grape varietal and Alvarinho is the Portuguese spelling. We will mostly use the Albarino name because Spain and Galicia to be specific are where the grape variety has its firmest grip. Most notably in the Rias Baixas region of Spain.

The International Albariño Day is celebrated in the early days of August where it coincides with the Fiesta del Albariño – one of the most important party events in the Galician party calendar. The event takes place in Cambados, a beautiful coastal city in the heart of Rias Baixas. For example, in 2021, the event happened between the 28th of July and the 1st of August – the last day is also the precise day to celebrate the Albariño wines in all their forms. 

Let’s talk Albariño styles

In general, the vast majority of Albariño wines are un-aged and made for drinking young. They can be characterised by their refreshing, zesty style, light body and high acidity.

In Portugal, Alvarinho is often the base for their wines from the Vinho Verde region which share many of the characteristics with the Rias Baixas Albarino but offer some bubbles – not enough to classify them as sparkling wines but definitively enough to notice the effervescence. Vinho Verde white wines tend to blend Alvarinho with various other Portuguese grapes like Loureiro, Arinto or Avesso. 

Finally, we have the aged Albariño wines which produce a totally different, more complex wine. If done right, the wine keeps all of the freshness and pleasant zestiness its young version is known for but develops a much more complex character in the mouth, more body and a pronounced finish. Winemakers use different techniques, between oak, steel, lees ageing and even a combination of those techniques.

Albariño Pairing – what to have it with?

Unsurprisingly, Albarino wines are perfect with all types of seafood – as you would expect given that most of it come from the Galician coast in Rias Baixas or the Portuguese Vinho Verde region, both located near the Atlantic.

Younger Albarinos will work great with oysters, white crab, shellfish platters or seafood risotto. Vegetarian options include grilled vegetable dishes, Caesar salad or soft and semi-hard cheeses. If you have one of the more mature and complex Albarinos you can try slightly more flavourful foods like seafood stews, sushi and seared scallops.

Albariño (Alvarinho) at EWGA

Albariño wines are not yet a staple of every wine list or wine shop shelf. But at EWGA we are fans of all wines and our portfolio could not operate without them. Here are some of the Albarino wines we currently offer to our customers.

Ama Vida Albarino: An exemplar of this grape variety from Rias Baixas. Bright golden yellow in colour. Intense, fruity aromas and delicate hints of meadow flowers and honey. Flush with peaches and pears, yet balanced with lemon and orange blossom all on a super-rich, lengthy finish. Perfect with all manner of seafood.

Next up we have a newcomer that we are very excited about offering. We are speaking of Attis, an artisan producer from the heart of Rias Baixas. Started in the year 2000, they have quickly ascended to the top of Albarino producers thanks to their impeccable attention to detail and ability to bring out every nuance of the terroir.

Attis ‘Xion’ Albarino: 35-year-old vines, natural yeasts, 4 months on lees in steel. A worthy introduction to the estate’s inimitable style.

Attis Lias Finas Albarino: 50-year-old vines, spontaneous fermentation, 6 months of lees ageing in steel and oak foudres. Flagship Cuvee with stone fruit and iodine intensity.

Attis Albarino Cuvee Mar: 50-year-old vines, spontaneous fermentation, 6 months of lees ageing in steel and oak foudres, followed by 6 months ageing in a bottle at a depth of 12m. The sea-ageing process lends an incredible depth to the wine whilst retaining the inherent stone fruit characteristics and youthful acidity. Available either as individual bottles or in an x3 presentation case.

From the non-Spanish Albarinos, we have the following in our current portfolio list:

Bowl Grabber Alvarinho (no longer available): Crisp, light-bodied, packed with peach, citrus zest and pear, and vegan friendly. Tradition would have us suggest a food pairing and while we say you can drink it with whatever you like, it goes especially well with fish, vegetarian food and savoury snacks.

Las Perdices Albarino Reserva: This is a very unique wine from Argentina – considering that the country does not plant this varietal very often. This combined with the altitude of the Las Perdices winery makes for a very interesting wine – an experiment well done.

Pale yellow colour with greenish-gold highlights. The complexity of this wine fluctuates between its notes of fruit (apricot, apple and citric fruits), of flowers (white flowers, jasmine) and of herbs (fresh-cut grass, fennel). Unctuous on the palate, voluminous, with a velvety sensation to complement its freshness and with a plethora of nuances. Ideal to accompany every type of fish and shellfish in all their preparations.

If you are interested in featuring any of our Albarino wines in your establishment or just want to discuss your wine requirements with one of our experienced team members, simply email [email protected] or give us a call on 01524 737 100.