A Wonder-Fall Wine Tasting

A quartet of wines to greet the changing colors of Autumn.

Bubbly Albariño

My tastings with friend Arthur Barham always have a few surprises. During my recent visit, Arthur greeted me with a first for me: sparkling Albariño. The wine was the 2020 “Octopus” from Carboniste, a California winery specializing in unique sparkling wines.

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Octopus is made with grapes grown on Andrus Island in the Sacramento River Delta. The grapes are pressed whole-cluster and four months on the lees.

The pressure and fizz of the Octopus are closer to Prosecco than Champagne. It’s sealed with a crown cap and is fresh and fun once opened. There are notes of green apple and kiwi with a flavor that is more pronounced than any other Albariño only 2% of California vineyards are planted with Albariño.

Sauvignon Blanc From Chile

We then uncorked the Brisandes 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from Colchagua, Chile. The winery is part of the far-flung Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) winemaking dynasty. I bought a number of bottles for our daughter’s birthday and had a couple left over. This wine is intriguing to me because it has a different flavor profile than Sauv Blancs from New Zealand or California.

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The acidity is dialed down and while the grassy notes are present, there is a beautiful salinity along with lime and herbal flavors. Perfect for seafood and also (and I later found out) for a vegan ceviche with cauliflower steaks (and chimichurri sauce) and Chilean rice. This dish was prepared by my vegan chef daughter.

A French Crus Bourgeois

The reds were rolled out by Arthur. First, we sampled the elegant 2018 Château La Valière from Médoc. This is a Crus Bourgeois bottling. This quality level stands just below the Cru Classé but is recognized for its quality all over the world.

This is a Bordeaux blend with Cabernet Sauvignon playing the lead role with plentiful Merlot. Silky smooth with fine tannins, it has a medium body with blackberry and currant flavors and juicy cherry. It’s a refined wine purchased at a steal from WTSO.

Silky Cabernet Sauvignon

Ending with a velvet punch, Arthur popped open the 2020 Annabella Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Annabella (we’re on a first-name basis now) is rich and powerful with blueberry notes and whiffs of leather. The layers include chocolate and hints of spice. This wine eases to a persistent finish with a touch of vanilla.

Thanks to Arthur for sharing his hospitality and his wine.

Gourmet Lunch Highlights Unique White Wines

A rare grape, wine from Uruguay, and a special dessert treat highlight our opulent meal

Wine – It’s What’s For Lunch

Lunchtime on a Friday isn’t usually anything special. We’re usually trying to finish up dangling to-do items from the workweek and looking forward to the weekend. That changed recently when we received a lunch invitation from Arthur and Mary Barham. Arthur is the man behind Merlot2Muscadine.

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Arthur also has considerable flair as a gourmet cook. Last week he decided to treat the Green Dragon and me to a truly memorable meal prepared by him at his house. Of course, the dishes were carefully paired with some unique and delicious wines.

A Rare Rhone Grape Appears

The memorable afternoon opened with Lemonade Mimosas. As Arthur explained, he likes to “experiment” on us. This drink was Champagne with a dash of lemonade. Interesting – but it couldn’t hold a candle to what was about to come.

The first course required a trip to the outside deck, where Arthur put crispy grill marks on Romaine lettuce. This was a prelude to the scrumptious Charred Romaine Caesar Salad with creamy Caesar dressing, shaved parmesan, and croutons. The salad alone would have been delightful, but the wine pairing of a 2020 Acquiesce Bourboulenc propelled it to the next level. Acquiesce is a Lodi winery that focuses on Rhone-style white wines. I was introduced to Acquiesce wines some years ago at the Wine Bloggers Conference held in Lodi. I was thunderstruck by the quality and variety of the Acquiesce wines.

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The aroma of the Bourboulenc smelled of lemon zest. In the glass, it is a light golden color and has a medium body. This hard-to-find French grape has green apple on the palate and rollicks with bold citrus. The wine is nicely textured and wrapped with nice acidity. It was just perfect for the dish.

The Meal Is Stacked

The main course was Seasoned Tuna stacked with red onions, tomatoes, celery, radish, and ranch dressing. This was Arthur’s first foray into using a mold to prepare a dish. It all hung together nicely, and, in fact, was a foodie-photographer’s delight.

Not just any wine could be paired with this tower of culinary art. The wine was a 2020 Bodega Garzón Single Vineyard Albariño. I’ve had Albariño from many different regions including Rias Baixas in Spain, but this was my first from Uruguay. The tuna stack continued the theme of light, tasty summer fare, while the Garzón amped up the white wine goodness.

With a few exceptions, Albariño has a nice groove with lime, peach notes, and occasional salinity and much of it tastes the same. Garzón is quite different, packing much more of a punch (14% ABV) than a typical Spanish or California Albariño. It has some nice floral touches, tropical fruit notes, and good minerality.

Liquid Gold

We had a sweet finish to the meal, a Sorbet Trio with Lemon Girl Scout Cookie paired with Linville Falls Late Harvest Riesling. Linville Falls is a North Carolina winery tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The elevation of 3,200 feet allows it to grow grapes that would fail at lower and hotter elevations. They call their Late-Harvest Riesling “liquid gold.” Late harvest wines get more “hang time” on the vine and start to dehydrate, concentrating the sugar in each grape.

The sweetness was balanced out by a trio of sherbet (I still continue my campaign of telling people it is “sherbet” not “sherbert!”). Joining the sherbet was a Girl Scout Lemon Cookie. Who knew what a great combination this would be? 

Thanks to Arthur and Mary for a magnificent meal.

Livermore Valley Wine Dinner Highlights Region’s Diverse Styles

Livermore Valley wines deliver more enjoyment at gourmet food pairing event.

Winter Vino Dinner A Memorable Night

When I attended a recent International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association webinar, it reminded me of the greatness of Livermore Valley wines. This California AVA, just about an hour east of San Francisco, has 50 wineries ranging from 100-case boutique operations to 400,000-case industry heavyweights. There are more than 30 grape varieties grown there. Be sure to check out my recent article to get the background on this historically important area.

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Following the webinar, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association was kind enough to send some bottles for a more wide-ranging tasting of the area’s wine. To help with this arduous task, it was time to call in reinforcements!

We decided to stage Winter Vino and wine and food pairing dinner and invited three other couples. Each couple would prepare a dish to pair with one of the wines. I must say, they outdid themselves. Special thanks to the Green Dragon for overseeing the entire food aspect of the event.

We had originally scheduled the event for Friday evening, but predictions of a winter storm and dangerous roads caused us to recalibrate and move the dinner to Sunday. The snow was melting by that time, but there was still enough for me to make a wine snowman out front with a five-liter Jeroboam bottle. Here’s a look at the dishes and the Livermore Valley wine from the soiree.

Longevity Family Winery 2020 Rosé of Deb-Ru-Veé and Charcuterie

This limited production rosé was our arrival wine. The wine is ruby pink and has fresh strawberry, apple, and citrus notes. It is 69% Grenache, 17% Syrah, and 14% Mourvèdre. Longevity is a black-owned winery founded by Phil and Debra Long. This wine is a salute to Debra, who passed away in 2019 from cancer. This wine is a favorite at the winery.

The wine is dry, but is elegant with plenty of fruit. It paired nicely with our charcuterie and mingling. Please note the salami “rose” in the photo. SRP $24.

 

Page Mill Winery 2014 Blanc de Blanc with Shrimp and Caviar

It was suggested by my friend Arthur Barham (of Merlot2Muscadine) that we begin the dinner with sabrage. If possible, I wanted to saber a sparkler from Livermore Valley. Tami Kelly, who handles PR for Livermore Wine Country, rode to the rescue and arranged for this beautiful bottle of traditional method Blanc de Blanc from Page Mill.

This is a labor-intensive wine and it gets three years of aging after the wine gets its second fermentation in the bottle. For six months the bottles are turned by hand two to three times a day as part of the process.

A couple of good strokes from my Champagne saber sent the top of the bottle sailing into the night sky. The wine is crisp with light yeasty notes. It was a dazzling start to our dinner. SRP – $75. 

Las Positas Vineyards 2020 Estate Albariño with Baltimore’s Best Crab Cakes

with Butternut Squash/Pear Soup Shooters with Pepitas

Albariño is Spain’s most famous white wine and it is gaining a strong foothold in the US as well. The Albariño from Las Positas is a beauty with green apple aromas and crisp grapefruit, pineapple, and lemon notes. This wine is aged in stainless steel with 20% being fermented in neutral barrels.

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In Spain’s Rias Baixas region, this pairs immaculately with mussels and other fresh seafood. We also found the seafood match to be golden. The Green Dragon whipped up some Baltimore-style crab cakes accompanied by a soup shooter. The soup was butternut squash and pear topped with pepitas. Just the perfect bite for this wine (although I could have used another crab cake or two!). SRP – $35.

Garré Vineyard 2019 Chardonnay Reserve with Salmon Marseille with Beurre Blanc and Julienne Vegetables

This Chardonnay from Garré is uber-limited, with just 100 cases produced. It is barrel fermented and sur lie aged in American Oak for six months. It also gets partial malolactic fermentation. The technical notes fail, though, to portray the beauty of this wine. It’s creamy with a satiny mouth feel. There are luscious notes of apple, apricot, and tropical fruit.

The pairing of poached salmon covered in a beurre blanc sauce was prepared by Diane and Gary. It was melt-in-your mouth delicious. It was hard to concentrate, however, because Arthur kept saying loudly, “I love beurre blanc!” SRP – $42.

Murrieta’s Well 2019 The Spur with Beef Short Ribs Served Over Creamy Polenta

The Spur is one of our favorite red blends. It introduced me to the flavorful possibilities of Livermore Valley wines a number of years ago. We’ve sampled a number of Murrieta’s Well wines, and they are sensational. The 2019 The Spur is made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petite Sirah, 9% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. This is a rich-tasting wine with black cherry notes, rounded tannins, with hints of oak and baking spice.

Sharon and Bill provided the short rib dish and it was a luscious pairing with The Spur. The juice from the short ribs melded with the creaminess of the polenta creating a winner. SRP – $40.

Wood Vineyards 2018 “Big Wood” Zinfandel with Forest Mushroom Risotto with Broccoli Rabe

We didn’t know quite what to expect with the Big Wood Zin, especially since its ABV is 16.8%. That is indeed a big wine. The first few sips dispelled any wariness. This is big, bodacious, and beautiful. In the glass, it is deep dark cherry in color. Plush cherry flavors combine with chocolate notes and ample vanilla. This is a plump wine with round, juicy tannins.

Green Dragon delivered on the food pairing for Big Wood, creating a Forest Mushroom Risotto with broccoli rabe with unlimited quantities of grated parmesan cheese. My question is, “Broccoli rabe, where have you been so long?” The delicate broccoli rabe with the richness of the risotto went hand-in-hand nicely with Big Wood. SRP – $36.

Lineage 2017 with Bacon-Wrapped Beef & Lamb Meatloaf with Blackberry Ketchup Glaze, Grilled Root Vegetables, Red Bliss Potatoes and Sauce Chasseur

When you are in the presence of greatness, you know it. That’s how we felt with the 2017 Lineage. Steven Mirassou, a sixth-generation winemaker from America’s oldest winemaking family, has a goal to make one of the truly great Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in the world. He struck paydirt with the 2017 Lineage. Renowned wine critic Steve Heimoff awarded the 2017 Lineage an unprecedented 100 points. Heimoff remarked that of the thousands of Cabernet blends he’d tasted over the course of his career, “None have been better.”

Arthur and Mary had the challenge of creating a dish to pair with this 100-point beauty. They delivered in grand style: a tower of perfect meatloaf bathed in a blackberry ketchup glaze and sauce chasseur. It was certainly the best sauce chasseur I’ve ever had (I’ll let you guess how many I’ve tasted…).

Lineage has 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. A total of 3,984 bottles were produced – and we were able to sample #240. The wine has lovely layers and although this is a big wine, it feels balanced with every grape playing the perfect role. Black cherry, light oak, and mint notes add to the experience of savoring this beauty. Red fruit notes, courtesy of Cabernet Franc, add acidity.

This is a wine that can age for 30 years. We just couldn’t wait. Arthur’s meatloaf was a stack of goodness, and certainly worthy of a fine dining restaurant and a 100-point wine.

Cheers to the Livermore Valley AVA and all of our guests who made this evening so special.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

Spanish Wines From González Byass Deliver Value and Flavor

If you seek great buys on distinctive, food-friendly wine, look no further than this trio of Spanish wines.

Beyond Sherry

González Byass is one of Spain’s best-known sherry producers, with roots that date back to 1835. Today the company has broadened its focus and the brand has grown with14 wineries in Spain, Chile, and Mexico, as well as a range of prominent spirits.  

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Always on the quest for quality wines which represent great value, we uncorked these three Spanish bottles from González Byass. We found a range of styles that are pleasing to anyone’s budget.

Sparkly And Light

We love sparkling wine. There’s no better way to set the stage for an evening of entertaining than popping a bottle of bubby. One of the world’s best values in sparkling wine is Cava. We love it for the reasonable price compared with Champagne, but also because it is made in the traditional method, with a second fermentation in the bottle – unlike some other styles of sparkling wine.

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The Vilarnau Brut Reserva is made with 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel.lo – the three classic grape varieties for Cava. Cava Reserva must have a minimum of 15 months of lees aging in the bottle. This is a fresh and fruity wine and while a Brut (or dry) wine, there is a hint of sweetness that will make this popular with most dinner guests. This is an immensely food-friendly wine. At SRP of $15, you can buy six bottles or a case for your next special occasion. We love the eye-catching bottle too.

The most famous white wine in Spain is Albariño.The Pazo de Lusco Albariño comes from  Rias Baixas in the country’s northwestern coastal region of Galacia. This is a wine perfect for seafood or poultry. It has flowing minerality with notes of apple and citrus in the glass. Cold maceration and extended aging on the lees give this wine complexity we hadn’t expected. This is another outstanding bottle at a price of just $21.

A Modern Take On Rioja

For a recent International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association webinar on Rioja, I poured the Beronia 2015 Rioja Reserva. Spain’s most noted red wine, Rioja wines are made primarily with Tempranillo and are known for long aging in American oak barrels.

The Beronia Reserva flips the script for a more modern take on Rioja. The aging is for 19 months in a mix of French and American oak.  American oak is more assertive and leans toward flavor of vanilla and coconut while French oak subtle with notes of savory spice and a silky texture. This contemporary take on Rioja with a lighter hand on oaking is delightful.

The blend for the Beronia is 95% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano, and 1% Mazuelo. The wine is a beautiful deep, black cherry color. It is a medium-weight wine with notes of mint and coco floating over ripe fruit with a touch of spice. This is a balanced wine with rounded texture, fine tannins and a lithe acidity. It is wonderfully drinkable and perfect for roasts, grilled meats, and cheeses. SRP is a very palatable $20.

This trio from González Byass offers value and three distinct styles that are food-friendly and perfect for entertaining or a meal at home with family.

Full disclosure: This wine was received as a marketing sample.

Vinho Verde Wines Hit Perfect Note For Light Refreshment

Seeking a wine that keeps things light and breezy? Look no further than Portugal.

Keep It Mellow

Cheer is in short supply these days. As our nation wrestles with COVID-19 and its terrible toll, we don’t need one more thing to drag us down. That includes the wine we drink.

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The weather in North Carolina has turned decidedly warmer, so it’s time for us to recalibrate our palates. Bring out the chilled whites and rosé!

A wine that’s sure to fit the season and bring a smile to your eyes is Vinho Verde. Vinho Verde is made in the northwest corner of Portugal, and is a category of young wines that are typically low in alcohol and have a spritz of effervescence. Drink them while they are young – there’s no aging required with these fresh-tasting wines.

The Vegan Table

We recently had the chance to taste through four bottles from Portugal: three the traditional Vinho Verde wines and one Alvarinho. To help with our tasting adventure, we drafted our daughter Rachel, a vegan baker and chef, to create a pairing meal.

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For our wines we selected the 2018 Casal de Ventozela and an Alvarinho from Quinta da Calçada. The meal was a vegan delight. The opener was cucumbers in homemade sweet Thai chili sauce. For our entree we savored a Thai yellow coconut curry with brown rice. We finished with chocolate chia pudding with fresh fruits. Oh yes, we had a dessert shooter with pineapple juice, crème de cacao and mango habanero vodka.

The Casal de Ventozela delighted us from the very start. In the glass the wine gushed in a welcome display of bubbles. Vinho Verde isn’t a traditional sparkling wine, but instead is frizzante – light bubbles that greet you and tickle your tongue, but then fade. There are light notes of citrus and melon, just perfect for our Thai-themed meal.

Our second bottle was the Quinta da Calçada Terroir. The Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) is the very best location for Albariño, or Alvarinho as it is known in Portugal. Quinta da Calçada has been producing wine since 1917, making it one of the oldest producers in the Vinho Verde region. This wine has outstanding minerality, a medium-full body with notes of peach and lemon with a touch of salinity.

The Seafood Table

For our second pair of wines, we moved our meal outside and switched our focus to seafood. It was a gorgeous evening on the patio that later turned into a romantic night under the stars. The Green Dragon prepared cedar plank salmon and shrimp with roasted asparagus and rice. Our meal began with the Manuel Costa & Filhos Melodia Rosé. This is an enticing wine made with Espadeiro and Touriga Nacional grapes. Whereas the other wines painted their canvas with citrus and tree fruit, the rosé was a bright bouquet of red cherries and strawberries. The acidity makes this a great food wine and it blended seamlessly with our shrimp and salmon.

As our evening continued we opened the Encosta do Xisto Vinho Verde. Xisto refers to the local shale, which is made from a mixture of mud, clay and tiny quartz and calcite fragments. This is a dry wine with the pleasing initial fizz. Flavor notes include green apples and peach.

Portuguese wines not only taste delicious, the price is easy to digest too. Many Vino Verde wines are available at prices $10 and below. Enjoy these fresh wines to give your morale a boost and your next meal some zip.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as marketing samples.

Hawk Haven Celebrates A Decade Of Award-Winning New Jersey Wine

Wine from New Jersey? Say what? Say “yes.”

From Lima Beans To Cabernet

Hawk Haven Vineyard and Winery began as a New Jersey dairy farm in the 1940s, later branching out into lima beans, watermelons and pumpkins. When Todd Wuerker and his brother came of age, it was time to take the family farm in another direction. Out with the lima beans and in with the Cabernet Sauvignon!

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Since changing course with the planting of the first vines in 1997, Hawk Haven has earned a passel of honors for its wine. Located in scenic Cape May, the winery has 16 acres of European grape varieties making head-turning wines.

Lower Cape May, part of the Outer Coastal Plain wine region, is considered by some to be the premier growing region on the East Coast. Hawk Haven’s 2007 Merlot captured a gold medal in the New Jersey State Wine Competition – something never before done by a winery with its first vintage. The winery was runner up for the prestigious Governor’s Cup.

Todd and wife Kenna opened the doors of the Hawk Haven tasting room on Memorial Day weekend in 2009 with their first-ever Sangria Weekend, serving chilled Sangria in mason jars. That tradition has continued every summer Sunday since then.

As a native of New Jersey, I was surprised to recently discover the renaissance of winemaking in the Garden State. You can read all about it in our article here. With that in mind, I was anxious to sample the wines of Hawk Haven.

A Paella Pairing

As part of our journalistic mission to inform you of cool wines from all around the world, we taste beaucoup wines. It’s not always possible, but when it is we like to pair each wine with a tasty meal. With two Signature Series wines from Hawk Haven at the ready, our chef began preparations.

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Our first wine was the 2018 Signature Series Albariño, Outer Coastal Plains. Having sipped Albariño in Spain, I know it is best served with seafood. As luck would have it, the Green Dragon (my wife) was preparing to make paella – a delightful rice and seafood dish.

In the glass the Albariño is a brilliant platinum color. The aroma of citrus preceded the cool, bright and crisp wine. It has ample acidity and a mere 12.5% alcohol, making it an ideal food wine. On the palate there are lemon and peach notes.

It’s a lively and delicious wine that is especially well suited for shrimp, shellfish and mussels. It also works well as a refreshing glass on a hot summer day. This was bottle number 842 of 975. A limited edition luxury wine at a mere $23.99 SRP.

The Porkchop Challenge

I was ready to take matters into my own hands with the 2016 Signature Series Syrah. I picked out some lovely rib-in porkchops at Trader Joe’s to take advantage of a picture-perfect grilling day.

A knock against winemaking in the Eastern states, some would say, is that robust reds aren’t as, well, robust. Would the Syrah stand the challenge of a perfectly grilled (I say this humbly) porkchop? My normal go-to Pinot Noir was looking neglected in the wine rack.

One sip of the Hawk Haven Syrah and my doubts floated away like a puffy summer cloud. It was superb! The emphasis is on balance and delicious fruit flavor. Medium-plus in body, it was a nice pairing with the chop. For added complexity, the Syrah was fermented with added Viognier skins. This is a Rhone Valley technique which added to the wine’s complex beauty.

There are marvelous flavors of raspberry with a hint of pepper. On the back of the palate there is tart sour cherry. The finish is long and lingering. Wow. I was thankful I didn’t overcook our porkchops.

This was bottle 12 of a 650-bottle production run. We were moving up in the world! This is a wonderful bottle for $39.99 SRP.  Based on our experience with these two bottles, we heartily recommend Hawk Haven wines, particularly the Signature Series.

Ready for the unexpected? Explore New Jersey wines. Hawk Haven Winery is a splendid place to start.

Full Disclosure: This wine was received as a marketing sample.

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González Byass Wines Offer Spanish Refreshment For Summer

The “lighter side” of Spain is perfect for warm weather sipping.

Heavy Reds Need Not Apply

Blockbuster reds with tightly wound tannins and booming alcohol levels have their place. It’s just not on the patio as the mercury climbs past 90 with the humidity level close behind.

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That’s the time when the sensible person opens a light, crisp white or rosé. González Byass is a family-owned collection of wineries that cover Spain’s most important wine producing regions. We recently had a chance to pop open four of their wines well suited for the summer heat.

The González family has a tradition of making fine sherries and brandies in Jerez, including the well-known Tio Pepe Fino Sherry. Tio Pepe sherry has been produced since 1844. Don’t confuse this with the brown, sweet sherry sipped by your grandmother. Fino sherry is dry and should be chilled and served like a white wine. The Tio Pepe Fino Sherry is fresh and bright with notes of citrus and almond. It retails for $19.99.

Three For Dinner

We brought the remaining three bottles to a dinner party at our friends’ house. We started by noshing on melon and prosciutto skewers and homemade guacamole. To accompany this, we opened the Beronia 2017 Rueda. Rueda is known for producing some of the best white wines in Spain.

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The Beronia Rueda is made with 100% Verdejo grapes. In the glass it is yellow with green highlights. On the palate it has a lush, rounded texture. There are notes of honey and pear. Although it is a dry wine, it has 1.5% residual sugar, enough to give it a nice sense of fruitiness. SRP is $12.99.

As the main course of chicken with lemon caper sauce was served, we moved to the Pazo de Lusco 2016 Albariño.
Albariño is Spain’s greatest white wine in the opinion of many (including us). The Lusco Albariño comes from Rias Baixas in the country’s northwestern coastal region of Galacia.

This is a beautiful wine with flowing minerality and flavor threads of grapefruit and pineapple. It is a dry and lively wine with good acidity. This is perfect for poultry or seafood. It is priced at $24.99.

A summer party wouldn’t be complete without rosé. We opened the Beronia 2017 Rioja Rosé. A salmon pink color, this wine is made with 100% Tempranillo grapes. Rosé from Spain, often called rosado, tends to be more flavorful than a Provence rosé. Ripples of sweet strawberries and cherries intertwine in this fresh and lively wine. SRP is $12.99. This is a winning wine for almost any occasion.

Spanish sherry, whites and rosé provide perfect warm weather satisfaction. Put on some extra sunscreen and grab one of these affordable bottles!

Full disclosure: We received these wines as marketing samples.

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Rías Baixas Albariño Impresses With White Wine Artistry

Albariño is Spain’s greatest white wine. It’s home is in Rías Baixas in the northwestern region of Galicia. We uncorked 11 bottles to learn the secrets of this refreshing grape.

Albariño Extravaganza

When we were invited to participate in an online tasting of Albariño from Rías Baixas, we were all in. Albariño is one of our favorite white wines and my visit to Rías Baixas a couple years ago etched memories of lush landscapes, stormy seas and friendly people. We had just one problem.

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The virtual tasting, courtesy of Rías Baixas Wines and Snooth, the popular online home for wine lovers, featured 11 bottles. That’s a daunting task, even for us. So the invitations went out for an evening of Albariño. Our dinner party totaled 11 persons, forming a neat symmetry with our 11 bottles. (No, we didn’t sit there and each drink a bottle!)

Culinary treats were provided by our guests and the Green Dragon. The Green Dragon prepared broiled octopus (pulpo) and a seafood paella. Our top-chef guests brought a multitude of treats including crab cakes, bacon-wrapped figs, Spanish olives, Manchego cheese, salad and Galician almond cakes. I was focused on my critical tasks: chilling down the wine and uncorking and unscrewing the bottles.

Sipping The Best Of Spain

Some people go ga-ga over an oaky bottle of Chardonnay. That’s not our palate profile. Oak can cover a multitude of sins and tends to blot out the fresh and delicate fruit of a white wine. So, we love white wines with crisp flavors, minerality and a minimum of oak aging.

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I had six bottle stashed in the refrigerator and the rest in a cooler of ice. Rob provided a random number and that was the bottle I poured. That worked fine until about wine number six, when I realized we’d be tasting wine until a week from Tuesday. From that point on I offered a choice of two bottles at a time, and the guests could circle back to try the second one.

There were a number of take-aways from our wine dinner. First, Albariño is a versatile wine that pairs magically with seafood. I had a steady diet of octopus while in Spain, and the charred octopus was a brilliant pairing. Many of our guests hadn’t tasted Albariño before and so there were several who discovered a new favorite wine. The third insight is that winemaking techniques, different growing areas and (in some cases) blending can create surprising differences in the wine.

Most of what we tasted were 100% Albariño, but a pair from the O Rosal growing area featured a blend of Albariño, Loureiro and Caiño. Most have a lower alcohol percentage than typical wine at about 12.5%, which helps it be more food friendly.

Tale Of The Taste

Here are our tasting notes from our Rías Baixas event (with growing region and SRP):

1. Condes dei Albarai (Val do Salnés) - $15 Given a “we like” thumbs up from our group, the Albarai uses vines older than 20 years and has tropical fruit notes.
2. Bodegas As Laxas (Condado do Tea) - $18 Offers nice fruit on the back of the palate. Fresh flavors of apple and apricot.
3. Don Pedro de Soutomaior (O Rosal) - $18.99 Named for a noble Galician warrior and knight whose victories were attributed to rising early. Lipsmacking good with smooth flavors of green apple. Great packaging!
4. Pazo Señorans  (Val do Salnés) - $25 This was my favorite.Aged five months on the lees, this has a complexity and herbacious, grassy notes that elevate it.
5. Valmiñor (O Rosal) - $18.99 A 100% Albariño from O Rosal. Melon and grapefruit flavors.
6. Señorío de Rubiós Robaliño. (Condado do Tea) - $18 This was an early favorite with our group. Great acidity and vivid flavors of citrus and peach. A top pick.
7. Altos de Torona (O Rosal) - $20 This was the number two top choice. It’s bottle is most distinctive and has flowing flavors of green apple. Good acidity (a bit too much for some guests).
8. Nai e Señora (Val do Salnés) - $15.57 Nai is a tribute to contemporary women. That and its stylish label made it a favorite with all the women who started singing “Nah na na na, hey hey hey, good bye! Tropical and aromatic.
9. Fillaboa (Condado do Tea) - $20 Good acidity with elegant flavors of pineapple and citrus.
10. Paco & Lola (Val do Salnés) - $21.99 A distinctive polka dot label and irresistible flavor palate of citrus and intense tropical fruit make this a favorite.
11. Terras Gauda (O Rosal) - $23.99 Here is the O Rosal blending at its best. There is fruitiness from Albariño, intense aromatics from Loureiro and structure and exotic fruit notes from the Caiño.

Albariño from Rías Baixas is a perfect wine for warm weather sipping or pairing with your casual meals, particularly seafood. The cost is wallet-friendly. Our bottles started at $15 and topped out at $25 – not bad for one of the world’s best white wines. Snooth is offering a special deal on Albariño and you can find it here. It is also widely available in wine shops. Don’t forget the octopus!

Technorati Tags: Albarino,Spainish wine,white wine,wine tasting

Six Top Albariño Selections From Spain’s Rías Baixas Region

Rías Baixas, a coastal region in the northwest of Spain, is home to the country’s most famous white grape: Albariño. Here are six picks sure to delight.

How To Enjoy Albariño

In recent months we have been exploring Albariño. This crisp white wine has been perfected in the Rías Baixas DO (Denominación de Origen) of Spain.

During our recent trip to Spain, the greatness of Rías Baixas, in the green fields and rocky coasts of Galicia, was amply demonstrated. The Albariño and local seafood were simply off the charts with excellence.

Back home I’ve had the chance to sample quite a few Albariño courtesy of Rías Baixas Wines and the Wine Studio online education program. When selecting an Albariño, the first step is to ensure it is from Rías Baixas.
There are a few other places (some in Spain and some in Portugal) that produce Albariño, but none do it as well. Wines from Rías Baixas capture the sea spray and granite from their unique locale.

Food is an important part of the Spanish lifestyle, so I’d suggest you have fun with some creative pairings with your Albariño. The Green Dragon prepared an array of creative dishes to go with our Albariño including Crusted Shrimp with Spicy Black Beans and Saffron Sauce and also pulpo (octopus) in a chipotle sauce.

 

Six Albariño to delight your senses

Adega Eidos, 2014 Eidos de Padriñan DO Rías Baixas – Named after the small family vineyards prevalent in Rías Baixas. Light bodied with mineral notes. Fresh, well-balanced acidity. Lime and tropical fruit.SRP $17.

Bodegas La Val, 2014 La Val DO Rías Baixas - Condado do Tea – This is a one-note wine, but that note is very good. Light yellow in the glass, fresh sunshine on the palate. Citrus flavors with a dash of honey. SRP $17.

Bouza do Rei, 2015 Lagar de Bouza DO Rías Baixas – Lightly acidic. Floral and fruity bouquet. A slice of lemon and twist of lime. SRP $16. 

Terras Gauda, 2014 Terras Gauda O Rosal DO Rías Baixas – Shows that a blend (70% Albariño, 20% Loureira, 10% Caiño Blanco) can deliver beautiful complexity. Peach and orange flavor notes with a beautiful honey finish. SRP $24.

Veiga Naum, 2014 Veiga Naum DO Rías Baixas – Awash with lime flavors. Elegant yet bold. Won us over by the end of the evening. SRP $15.

Xion (Attis Bodega y Viñedos) 2014 DO Rías Baixas – A favorite. Golden in color. Stylish and balanced with a primary note of honeysuckle. Nice complexity with luscious acidity. SRP $14.

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Pair Of Rías Baixas Albariño Display Contrasting Styles

In Spain’s Rías Baixas region, the production of Albariño is closely controlled. How then does a winery express its own style? This pair shows the way.

A White Wine Waiting For You

Our white wine of choice in recent months is Albariño. This crisp white wine has been perfected in the Rías Baixas DO (Denominación de Origen) of Spain.

More than 90% of all plantings in Rías Baixas is Albariño. Although the grape is in common, the wine can vary due to winemaker style and the terroir of five different subregions.

During our trip to Spain last month, the greatness of Rías Baixas, in the green fields and rocky coasts of Galicia, was amply demonstrated. The Albariño and local seafood were simply off the charts with excellence.

A Question of Balance

While in Rías Baixas, I had the chance to taste of 2015 Albariño against a 2014 vintage at Bodega Vionta. The different was clear, the 2015 tasted great – but the acidity was racing. The 2014, on the other hand, showed an elegant complexity.

Our most recent tasting featured a pair of Albarino from different subregions: the 2014 Rectoral do Umia Viñabade and the 2015 Señorio de Rubiós Robaliño. For dinner the Green Dragon whipped up chicken cutlets with lemon caper sauce.

And The Winner Is…

The 2014 Viñabade is from the Salnés Valley, where Vionta is located and the site of my visit. The style was similar to what I had enjoyed there – flavor threads of minerality, citrus and pear.
The style is subdued and integrated as befits this cool climate area. This is a style I really like.

The 2015 Robaliño from the Condado subregion leads with a tingling acidity. It has a zesty lime and grapefruit flavor that is reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc – even down to the “cut grass” aroma. Green Dragon loves her New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and proclaimed this a winning bottle almost immediately.

As our sipping continued, I did a mental about-face. The Robaliño started to round the edges of its sharp acidity while the Viñabade began to become a bit too soft. Of course, I was in a win-win situation – two bottles of outstanding Albariño to help me ponder their individual merits.

The biggest take-away of the evening? Albariño wines, although united in their purity and food-pairing qualities, can have different expressions. For me, the balance of fruit and acidity determine its nature.

Morgadio 2013 Legado del Conde Albariño, Rias Baixas

This Albariño hails from Spain’s most celebrated white wine region. So why wasn’t I loving it?

The Spanish Connection

My recent trip to Spain was a blast. Upon my return, we invited some good friends over to enjoy some wine and listen to my tales of the trip. The Green Dragon might put it differently: “Force them to watch an unending slide show of my photos.”

In Spain, the eye-opener was the Albariño from Rias Baixas. This crisp yet flavorful wine was a delight – especially paired with local seafood.

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A Different Take On Albariño

I grabbed this bottle at Cork’s in Rossford for about $18. There were some less expensive offerings, but this looked very promising. At home we paired it with some shrimp appetizers.

If I hadn’t been sipping some superb Albariño in Spain, I might have loved the Legado. The Vionta Albariño I tasted at the winery had a more pronounced acidity and more complexity. By comparison, the Legado was a bit flat.

The Legado has minimal acidity and more rounded flavors. With a floral nose, it has a soft body and flavors of peach and apple. The wine is thoroughly drinkable, but I prefer more acidity to contrast with the fruit notes. Especially with seafood, the acid provides the balance to the palette of fish flavors.

The Verdict

Over the next several weeks I’ll be sampling a variety of Albariño from Rias Baixas. That will let me become better attuned to the different styles produced from this Spanish grape. Rias Baixas also has sub-districts with unique terroir.

This wine is a good choice for those who prefer softer wines without the bite of acidity. I like my Albariño untamed and this one missed the mark.

Technorati Tags: Albarino,wine,Spanish wine

Don Olegario 2012 Albariño, Rias Baixas

Wait! Don’t shelve the chilled white wines just yet. Summer still lingers on. Here’s a Spanish grape you may not know – but soon will love.

Prized Grape Of Spain and Portugal

Albariño is a white grape variety grown almost exclusively in Spain and in Portugal (where it is called Alvariñho).Wines made with Albariño are highly regarded by wine critics. It is a late ripening grape that grows in moderately cool to warm climates.
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Rias Baixas Produces Classic White Wines

Rias Baixas is located in the Galicia region of Northwest Spain. Galacia has five DO (Denominacion de Origen) zones. The one most frequently found on US shelves is Rias Baixas, which is known for producing clean, crisp and cool white wines.
The best Rias Baixas wine is 100% Albariño, and that is the case with the Don Olegario 2014.

Don Olegario Nails Versatility and Refreshment

We are fans of crisp white wines, as opposed to wines that rely on heavy oaking which mask the craft of the winemaker. The Don Olegario is fermented in stainless steel. It has a fine and precise edge to it while remaining light and elegant.
This is a medium bodied wine. The bouquet to me was a bit closed, but that may have been because of my stuffy nose. On the palate there is citrus and minerality and a clean finish.
Sweltering weather has settled over us in Ohio the past week, with smothering humidity and high temperatures. A wine like this Albariño is ideal to overcome the heat. With its pure and strong flavors, it is a versatile match for seafood (an ideal pairing) as well as spicy dishes and soft cheese.
If you are an ABC drinker (Anything But Chardonnay), consider this bottle of Albariño as your letter “A.” At an SRP of $19.99, the price is refreshing too.
Full Disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.

Technorati Tags: wine,Albariño,Spanish wine