What to drink with seafood? Albariño is its natural companion
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It used to be thought that the albariño grape was brought to Spain by the French monks of Cluny, but that has since been disproved, with no parentage between albariño and burgundian varieties. Rather, the grape is now believed to be an ancient variety that's native to the Iberian coast, with a naturally thick skin providing resistance to the diseases a humid climate can give rise to (alvarinho is the grape's name in northern Portugal, where it's essential in the production of easy-to-love vinho verde).
The wines it produces are direct and acidic, with an unmistakable mineral salinity. It's often unoaked, but some producers are having fun by experimenting with barrel-ageing their albariños to give them extra weight and depth. Such wines are often drunk a little later, but most albariño is designed to be drunk within a couple of years of its release.
But why August for World Albariño Day? Why not deepest, darkest winter or the yawning, stretching spring? My guess is that it's because the stuff goes down like a homesick mole and works with pretty much anything you'd want to eat when it's hot and sticky outside. Which makes sense when you think of Galician cooking, or indeed other coastal regions that grow albariño, where the cuisine is defined by seafood. What grows together goes together, and all that.
A friend of a friend in Galicia says albariño has aguja, unlike most other Spanish wines. The word translates as 'needle', and relates to the verve of top, high-acid albariño, whose unique electricity is best paired with very simple seafood, preferably cooked in salt water, as they do in Galicia.
'It's my go-to picnic wine,' says Jeff Koren, director of wine at The Chancery Rosewood in Mayfair, who loves albariño so much that he once worked a vintage at the vaunted Bodegas Albamar. 'I want to drink it with crudites, Greek salad, prosciutto or jamón with melon, while I'd pair the cool, textured, barrel-aged stuff with anything I'm eating in the summer heat.'
The grape's harmonious relationship with coastal regions has brought it to various corners of the world where the vineyards benefit from cooling maritime climates. Areas of New Zealand, California and South America are all producing their own interpretations of this wine, so there are plenty of options for your albariño day celebrations. Apologies for the rather late notice, it will almost definitely happen again.
M&S Albariño Uruguay £10 Ocado, 12%. Defined by the Uruguayan coast, this saline wine shows ripe peach and nectarine.
Adega de Moncao Trajarinho Vinho Verde £11.95 Jeroboams, 12%. A classically styled vinho verde made from alvarinho and trajadura.
Anna's Way Nelson Albariño £11.95 The Wine Society, 14%. From New Zealand, this is all orchard fruit and lively citrus.
Bodegas Albamar Albariño £28 Mother Superior, 12%. Made with natural yeasts, this is a great introduction to this experimental producer.
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The Guardian
11 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The best UK vineyards to visit this summer – and what to drink at them
English wine is flourishing: a combination of a warming climate and favourable tax breaks for investors is leading to a boom in vineyards. It's winning awards and attracting wine producers from the US and France who are buying up land, while English supermarket bubbly is becoming more affordable. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. There's a range of English and Welsh wine out there, from brioche-scented bubbly to zesty whites and even juicy, berry-fuelled reds. It's also becoming more widely available, and most of us will have no problem picking up a bottle from the supermarket, a local indie wine merchant or online. An even more enjoyable way to fill your glass is to visit a vineyard. The UK is home to more than 1,000 (with over 200 wineries making the wines), so you can have a lovely day out, buying your favourite tipple while visiting the site where it was made. 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We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Denbies is one of England's largest vineyards, with a huge selection of wines from sparkling to still, dry to sweet, as well as some more unusual wines, such as the Orange Solaris – a white wine made like a red, with the grape skins left in the fermentation. The Surrey Hills Greenway Trail winds through the vineyard: within 107 hectares (265 acres) of vines, you can access seven miles of public footpath. There are 17 rooms at the Farmhouse, and more at the Brokes (dog-friendly rooms on the ground floor). Room rates start from £165 a night; both properties are in the middle of the estate. Fancy a day trip? Check out wine tasting and tours at Denbies Wine Estate Or stay nearby in Dorking The land at Tuffon Hall has been worked by the same family for more than 100 years. 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Follow her on Instagram at @skinandpulp
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Boss of world's richest travel firm proposes lotteries in popular destinations to combat overtourism
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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Father says family had to take their £4,000 Lanzarote holiday without him after airline staff 'tear his passport then say it is too damaged to travel'
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