As the days get warmer and the flowers start to bloom, you may find yourself craving a white wine to accompany the good weather.
While it isn’t as famous as other white wines such as Riesling and Chardonnay, a type of wine called Albariño is one of the top white wine grapes in the world.
This white wine grape is known for its fresh, citrusy flavor. It pairs perfectly with fish and seafood.
Albariño grapes grow in the temperate Atlantic climate of northern Portugal and Galicia. Despite being located in two Mediterranean countries, this area is mild throughout the year and receives some of the highest rainfall totals in all of Europe.
The result is a white wine that is dry and not overly sweet, which is one of the principal complaints when evaluating most Spanish and Portuguese white wines. The temperature climate of the region and the characteristics of the Albariño grape allow for a citrusy, dry wine that is extremely refreshing.
Spanish Albariño wines are generally more dry than their Portuguese counterparts. The Rías Baixas wine region in Galicia produces some of the top white wines in the world using this grape.
In Portugal, Albariño grapes are also used to produce vinho verde, a bubbly, low-alcohol wine that is truly unique.
Be sure to try this unique wine varietal if you get the chance!