A Galicia Spain Albariño

Many say Spain's best white grape region...

Agnusdei Albariño

This might be a fine one. After taking my tasting notes I found out that Wine Spectator give this wine a 90 and one of my favorite wine writers, Tom Stevenson, calls the Rias Baixas DO Spain’s fastest-rising star in the DO firmament. He prefers the whites. In the interest of full disclosure this producer wasn’t in his list of recommendations. I think that he was talking about a different price range.

This wine region, arguably the best region for Spanish whites, is in Galicia, a small area on the Atlantic coast just north of Portugal. Don’t confuse it with the eastern European territory of Galicia that changes hands after each war and is now part of the Ukraine. That Galicia is not known for its wine production. Some of the locals think that Albariño is Riesling clone that originated in Alsace. Before attaining the DO appellation in 1985, it was often blended. If you like Albariño you may want to try its California versions. The wine producer Vinum Terrae has an unusual website, describing not only the wine but also the size of the labels and length of the cork. Today’s companion wine comes from southern Portugal.

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Wine Reviewed
Agnusdei Albariño 2008 12.5 % alcohol about $15

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description : Albariño (Alvarinho, in Portugal) probably finds its finest expression in the Rías Baixas region of northwest Spain. The Atantic Ocean influence here is quite pronounced, contributing to the wine's racy freshness. Located right beside the ocean, it is unsurprising that this citrus-, melon-, and mineral-scented wine is an excellent match for shellfish dishes, especially steamed mussels or clams. And now for my review.

At the first sips I found this wine almost elegant. It was fizzy and I tasted minerals and good acidity. he first meal centered on a honey, garlic barbecued chicken breast. The Albariño’s acidity was bold but not overdone. I got great lemon and the wine was quite long. With the accompanying potatoes roasted in chicken fat this wine gained in intensity; bye, bye fat. With the side of canned palm hearts the wine became thinner but was still fruity and well balanced. An organic blackberry sherbet bar weakened this Spanish white but it did maintain a pleasant acidity.

My next meal was a home made meatless lasagna with mozzarella and cottage cheese that I liberally dusted with grated parmesan cheese. The Albariño was subtle with good length and mouth cleansing acidity. With sweet hazelnut cream cookies the wine deepened. Its acidity was bracing and it showed good fruit.

My final meal was an omelet brimming with chilies that also contained parsley, California black olives (not in the same league as the Greeks), sage, and mozzarella cheese. The wine was very long, tasting of grapefruit. It had balanced acidity and handled the chilies well. In the presence of green salad this wine was deep and long, tasting of lemon and lime. Dessert was a delicious frozen wild blueberry custard in a buttery crust. The wine presented good acidity but was uni-dimensional.

The first cheese was a farmer’s. The Albariño presented honeyed acidity. In the presence of a fairly sharp yellow cheddar, the wine was similar but down a notch.

Final verdict. OK, so I can’t pair it with sharp cheddar cheese. I liked this wine and would definitely buy it again. I’m also going to look for its cousins even if I have to spend more.

Access the companion wine A Wine Lover's Weekly Review Of $10 Wine - A Portuguese White Blend

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine websites include
www.theworldwidewine.com    and    http://www.wineinyourdiet.com

Visit his website devoted to Italian travel www.travelitalytravel.com

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