The key to understanding Albariño is its inclusion
in the trio of bitter, unoaked European varieties—
the other two being Pinot Grigio from Northern
Italy and Grüner Veltliner from Austria. On the
palate, if you chew these wines for 10 seconds,
you will find a touch of “phenolic bitterness.”
Phenolic bitterness is reminiscent of melon
skin or the sensation of tannin on the front and
sides of the lips/mouth—similar in feel to lightly
steeped green tea. Most examples of these three
grape varieties possess common characteristics,
including moderate alcohol (about 12.5-13%), no
new oak, and a yellowish hue (although many
Pinot Grigios can have a copper hue). Typically, the
main differences between the three are that Grüner
is decidedly spicier and has flavors of white pepper
and radish; Pinot Grigio often has peanut shell
and bruised/oxidized yellow apple aromas; and
Albariño most classically combines a sea-spray
saltiness with fruitier, and often more tropical,
sensations than those others. Each sub-region of
Galicia’s Rías Baixas region—Albariño’s spiritual
homeland—reveals different characteristics of the
variety. This example hails from vineyards in the
Salvaterra de Miño, and from classically trained
old vines. Finca Arantei is a top producer here,
in the very heart of the best terroir, so this wine
displays plenty of telltale “sea spray” character to
help point you in the direction of Albariño. If you
are training for an exam and want to learn more
about Albariño, the best thing to do is purchase
4-5 top examples from different sub-regions of
Rías Baixas. This is the only truly classic region to
taste from. Try to have them side-by-side to really
capture the essential properties of the variety.
Make sure to get examples that are unoaked and
less than 18 months old, since you will most likely
be tested on the most recent vintage on the market.
Pay attention to the bitterness and saltiness. Other
classic examples are produced by La Caña, Pazo
de Señorans, Albariño de Fefiñanes, Benito Santos,
Paco y Lola, Morgadío, and Fillaboa.