Kings River Winery 2015 Albariño
A few Albariño facts:
Albariño wine (pronounced “alba-reen-yo”) is a top-shelf light-bodied white wine grown primarily in Spain and Portugal (Vinho Verde). It’s also grown in the United States, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay. Albariño was presumably brought to Iberia by Cluny monks in the twelfth century.
- August 1st is International Albariño Day
- Some of the oldest living vines in the world are Albariño Vines and are up to 300 years old.
- It is common to see the word “Albariño on Spanish wine labels unlike other which label by region.
- Spanish and Portuguese winemakers have always treasured the freshness of Albariño and do not age in oak.
- The grapes are small with thick skins. Not only does this make Albariño harder to produce wines, it also often results in a distinct raw-almond or citrus pith like bitterness.
- Many Albariño vineyard the vines are trained to trellis over-head to help keep the grapes dry and avoid rot.
- There are two main regions that Albariño can widely be found in Spain and in Portugal’s Vinho Verde in Portugal where it is know as Alvarinho.
Kings River Winery 2015 Albariño is a wonderful example of this grape.
PRIMARY FLAVORS: Lemon Zest, Grapefruit, Honeydew, Nectarine, Saline
TASTE PROFILE: Dry, Light Body
Fresh, lots citrus notes, and minerally are the first words that come to mind as you start to enjoy this wine in your glass. On the first sip, your palate will be greeted by gentle yet definitive notes of light citrus and notable acidity. Subtler notes of ripe fruits are then followed by a zesty finish of saline acidity. Here is what you can expect if you are new to Albariño: lemon, lime, grapefruit, pear, nectarine, honeysuckle, orange zest along with minerality.
SERVICE ADVICE: Drink this wine chilled down at least overnight, the allow to warm up in your glass as you enjoy drinking it. The flavors change along with the temperature of the wine.
Food Pairing: A friend to all things from the sea, Albariño pairs exceptionally well with white fish and meats as well as leafy green herbs. Try it with fish tacos.
Meat Pairing: Lighter meats, fish, and seafood sing with Albariño. Try it with ceviche, seafood risotto, grilled, or fried fish tacos, oysters, mussels, and clams.
Cheese Pairing: Soft cheeses like an Italian Burrata, or semi-hard cheeses such as Manchego, Gouda and salty Feta all are very enjoyable with these fresh and bright wines.
Vegetable Pairing: The grassy notes of Albariño play well with fresh green herbs, like salsa verde. Try Spanish tapas such as grilled peppers, grilled vegetable dishes, caprese, or even Caesar salad.
Kings River Winery is a state of the art winery located in Sanger California. Learn more about Kings River Winery