Albariño: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
| Albariño: Its name is from the Lation albo, and means white, whitish. This is a variety of a fresh, aromatic, hardy, green-skinned, white-wine grapes grown in coastal Galicia, northwest Spain where it is called Albariño, and in Vinho Verde, northwest Portugal (authorized to be grown in Monção and Melgaço), where it is called Alvarinho or Cainho Branco. It is also used to make varietal white wines. In Vinho Verde, the vines are typically trained on high pergolas, which encourages over-cropping, leading to grapes being unable to exceed more than 8.5% potential alcohol.  Image source: vinepair.com |
Taste/smell: It has a botanical aroma with a citrus undertones, apricaot and peach. It has high acidity and its thick skin can taste a tad bitter. Alvarinho Vinho Verde wines are frequently bottled with a degree of carbon dioxide, producing a light, sparkling sensation in the mouth.  Image source: Wikimedia Commons Varieties/Mutations There is just one certified clone. It is thought to be a close relative of the French grape Petit Manseng. In Braga, Lima and Ribeiro it is often mixed with other grapes such as Arinto, Borraçal, Cainho, Godelho, Loureiro or Treixadura to produce blended wines. A French expert visiting Australia in 2008 raised questions and DNA testing confirmed that the grapes thought to be Albariño were in fact French Savagnin – almost all the wine in Australia labelled Albariño was Savagnin. | Description: In Spain it is a thick-skinned grape variety which means it can thrive in damp, high-altitude vineyards by the sea – like Galicia. In Portugal it makes up part of the blend for Vinho Verde, the country’s much-loved, slightly spritzy and peachy white wine.  Image source: plantgrape.fr The round-shaped berries grow as small bunches with berries small-to-medium sized. Its young shoot tips have a high density pf prostrate hairs, young leaves are yellow with long red or red-striped internodes. The adult leaves are circular with slightly revolute edges and slightly blistered leaf blades.  Image source: plantgrape.fr |
| Albariño producing countries: Big Five Producers: (overall 42% of vineyards, 64% of wine production and 41% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Spain: Galicia, Rias Baixas France: some Italy: not detected USA: California (Napa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Ynez Valley), Long Island, Oregon, Virginia, Washington Chile: some Next Ten Largest Producers: (with big five, responsible overall for 75% of vineyards, 88% of wine production, 64% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Argentina: some Australia: wrongly lablled – see above. China: not detected Germany: not detected India: not detected New Zealand: Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Nelson Portugal: Vinho Verde Romania: not detected South Africa: Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Turkey: not detected Others countries: Brazil, UK, Uruguay, | Grape is also known as: Albarina (Malta), Albariño, Albelleiro, Alvarin Blanco, Alvarinho, Azal Blanco, Cainho Branco, Galego, Galeguinho, and Padernã  Image source: winefolly.com |
Image source: wine-searcher.com
Albariño: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
