Wine on the Radio - March 26, 2004

Albarino                                         Recommendations

OK.   It's a day of discovery . . . and we have one - a terrific wine that you just have to try.   It's from Spain and it's Albarino.  

Albarino is a creamy rich white wine from the northwest of Spain.   It's from an area called Rias Baixas along the Atlantic coast.  

Fishing and winemaking are what this area is all about and they're both ingrained in the history and culture so it's no wonder that their Albarino and the catch of the day are naturals together.

Albarino is a wine with flavors of apricots and peaches with maybe a twist of lemon too.   And it's a wine to be enjoyed young and fresh.

To us it's like a cross between Sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, a balance of crispy and rich, fruity yet pretty full flavored.  

This makes it terrific to sip all by itself when you just want a glass of white - and flexible with food.  

Check out the suggestions below.

Pop the cork.™                     Listen to the show

Albarino - Our Picks and Recommendations . . . all prices approximate.

Lusco do Mino 2001 Albarino $20

Spain

Winemaker's Notes
The vintage was a fine year for Morgadio, again easily among the best wines of the vintage. Floral, citric, and mineral aromas follow clearly and crisply on the finish

Serra da Estrela 2002 Albarino $16
Spain

Winemaker's Notes
This wine expresses itself solely through the purity of its fruit, and is crafted in the highest caliber modern facility, ensuring a clean, crisp wine of integrity. A pale yellow-green wine made from 100% Albariño grapes

2002 Valminor Albarino Rias Baixas $12
Spain
This refreshing wine from northwest Spain is a wonderful alternative to everyday Chardonnays

2001 Pazo Senorans Albarino Rias Baixas $18

Spain
WA 90 points, A perfume of peach, apricot, floral, stony, Riesling-like aromas jumps from the glass of this dry, medium-bodied white