I have found someone new to love; watch out Torrontes…..take a backseat, Viognier……Albarino has made an appearance, and my palate may never be the same again.
For white wine lovers who think only in terms of the ‘Big Three’ of Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, I say “Oh man, you ain’t seen nothing!” Sip on Argentina’s premier white, Torrontes; try out Viognier, with it’s lush tropical palate and mouth watering finish. Open an Italian Falanghina, Cortese or Erbaluce, or Austrian’s Gruner Veltliner. There is a world of whites out there rich with flavor that will turn your palate end of end in delight. With so many to explore, Chardonnay could become a very distant memory.
This 2006 Bodegas Martin Codax Albarino from Rias Baixas, Spain is 100% of Spain’s aromatic and highly celebrated white grape. Albarino has a high sugar content and a high degree of acidity that give an exclusive freshness and unique personality to the wine. The prominent scent rising to my nose from the glass was one of rich warm honey; the wine is lush and exotic, round and juicy in the mouth with lots of fruit notes and a refreshing dryness that was surprising, and yet utterly delightful to me. The color is pale straw yellow with a tinge of green and I caught notes of sweet mandarin, white peach and pear. The scent evoked cool night air heady with the scent of flowers. It detected a hint of subdued lemon in the finish, which lingered beautifully, coasting along and fading smoothly.
Another Albarino made an appearance in my weekend too; the 2005 Rias Baixas Nora Albarino. This bottle was full of lush tropical flavors like pineapple, mango and lychee with a bit more acidity, very zingy! There was also the hint of lemon in the finish, zesty and stronger.
Both of these wines were excellent drinking, and a perfect complement to a warm sunny day so the refreshing minerality can be fully appreciated.
