From: Rias Baixas, Spain
Varietal: Albarino
Taste: When poured, you’ll find an Albariño of pale yellow hue with greenish glints, giving a clean, bright appearance. Citrus notes lead in a varietally correct and relatively intense nose. Zesty lemon and lemon confit meet sea spray, white flowers, and white stone fruits, with lemon verbena and a hint of spearmint. The palate largely follows suit, and though citrus plays a role in its flavors, you’ll notice that this wine’s acidity is moderate instead of bracing, with Asian pear and white stone fruits taking center stage. The moderate acidity is fairly noticeable here because this Albariño still retains balance and tension from phenolics derived from cold maceration and time on lees with a salty minerality through to the finish (if you suffer from heartburn, you should try this wine).
Pairing: Typically, Albarino from Rias Baixas goes well with pasta (non-tomato based), a wide array of shellfish dishes, vegetarian fare, appetizers and snacks, and, of course, white fish served grilled/fried/baked/en papillote. Today, we’re sharing a recipe for Pasta With Tuna, Capers, and Scallions by Melissa Clark. It’ll take only about 30 minutes and yields 3-4 servings.
About. In 2000, a group of winegrowers dreamed up Vina Almirante, a winery of 80 partners and families with 45 hectares. Located in Portas in the Umia Valley of Galicia, on the banks of the Chaín River, Vina Almirante sits in an enclave with its own geographical and meteorological conditions that largely mark the character of the vineyards. Portas is synonymous with history, origin, and culture. In the 12th century, history reveals that King Ferdinand II of León donated the first known Albariño plantation to the Cistercian monks, the 'Paradisus' estate, in Santa María de Portas.
Unfamiliar with Albariño from Rías Baixas? Please check out the Wine Enthusiast article written in conjunction with the DO below. If you’re familiar with and already love this area and its wine, this article is still worth a revisit, as it’ll surely induce Albariño cravings.
Rías Baixas: Home to Real Albariño
Last Updated: May 8, 2023
Wine Enthusiast
Vintage matters! Especially for cool-climate areas. Thanks to Patricia Langton, we have a detailed vintage report with Galicia-specific notes to share with you below.
Vintage 2022 in Spain: Extreme Weather but Remarkable Quality
by Patricia Langton
This wine. Technical Details.
Brand: Maccerato. Viña Almirante.
Variety: Albariño (100%).
Denomination: Rías Baixas.
Subzone: Val do Salnés (Galicia. Spain).
Vintage: 2022.
ABV: 12.5º.
Soil: sandy loam.
Winemaker: Rafael Fraga.
Winemaking: grapes selected and picked by hand in vineyards that get the sun very early at the end of the harvest. Must extracted by a distinctive cold maceration process that breaks the skin of the grapes.
Process: destemming, cold maceration with the skins for 100% of the grapes. Followed by pneumatic pressing to take special advantage of the free-run must. Static racking by cold decanting. Fermentation in stainless steel vats at 17ºC.
Acidity: 6.00 g tart/L.
Reducing sugars: 1.1 g/L. PH (-): 3.55.
