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Since it first became popular in tapas bars around 20 years ago, Albariño has been known as a crisp, citrus-driven wine that pairs well with seafood. While that remains true, many winemakers in northern Spain have expanded their repertoire to include more complex, fuller-bodied versions of the variety that can be enjoyed in the fall alongside heartier fare. The most widely planted grape in Galicia, the area known as “green Spain’ thanks to high rainfall and verdant plant growth, Albariño is the signature grape of the Rias Baixas region. Because it is grown close to the sea or the D.O.’s brackish estuaries, it often has a savory or salty character on top of zesty flavors of grapefruit, white peach, and lemon-lime with a frequent note of orange blossom. While style varies by winery, techniques to add depth and complexity to Albariño include long aging on the lees and fermentation or maturation in wood, granite, or concrete vessels. Here are the seven best full-bodied Albariños to enjoy this fall.
Pazo de Barrantes 2022 Gran Vino Albariño
Image Credit: Pazo Barrantes The Pazo de Barrantes winery is surrounded by 30 acres of Albariño vines used to make exceptional wines that have consistently been held in high regard by critics—including ourselves—and consumers for the last few decades. We are big fans of this wine as well as its other label called “La Comtesse” which we have recommended in previous articles. The 2020 Gran Vino has aromas of kiwi, gooseberry, and white peach. Full bodied in the palate it continues with flavors of juniper, citrus blossom, and mandarin peel all supported by a sturdy backbone of minerality.
Do Ferreiro 2024 Cepas Vellas Albariño
Image Credit: Do Ferreiro The 2024 growing season was rated as excellent by the D.O. Rias Baixas regulatory board. After a cold winter, spring broke with high levels of rain that resulted in deep and adequate water tables needed to survive the dry hot summer. Just about 46,300 tons of perfectly ripened grapes were harvested in late summer and were used to make stunning wines in the region. The winemaking team at Do Ferreiro has been making Cepas Vellas since 1995 and we think the 2024 is one of their best vintages. It is aged for 11 months on the lees with little to no stirring and has aromas of yellow plum, peach, and citrus flowers with balanced acidity that pave the way for flavors of citrus pith, grapefruit, and green apple. There is a nice touch of salinity in the long finish.
Lagar de Fornelos 2021 Lindeiros Albariño
Image Credit: Lagar de Fornelos The original seven-acre property and winery that is today known as Lagar de Fornelos was built by brothers who were local boat makers and started the winery as a weekend pastime for their families. The quality of their “hobby” wines was immediately recognized, and they subsequently sold to La Rioja Alta in 1988. Today Lagar de Fornelo’s holdings encompass 250 acres of estate-owned vineyards, and it was one of the first wineries in Rias Baixas to use optical sorters to source only perfect grapes. Lagar de Fornelos 2021 Lindeiros has aromas of jasmine, honeydew melon, and green apple with flavors of melon, apple, and peach accented by bracing minerality and a saline finish.
La Fillaboa 2020 1898 Albariño
Image Credit: La Fillaboa Named for “the good daughter” in the Galician dialect of Spanish, the legend of La Fillaboa recounts an aging noble family patriarch who leaves all his land to his favorite daughter after she is mistreated by her sisters. The original estate dates back the mid 1880s and the “1898” wine recalls the first year its Albariños were shipped across the Atlantic to Cuba. The 2020 is a delightful wine with aromas of candied orange peel, baked apple, and freshly baked bread. Round and full bodied, it has flavors of apple, peach, and pear with balanced and bright acidity punctuating the finish.
Attis 2022 Embaixador Albariño
Image Credit: Attis Visitors to Rias Baixas can enjoy locally farmed mussels alongside chilled glasses of the region’s wines. A prime example of the area’s dual industries is brothers Robustiano and Baldomero Fariña, who split their time working in their winery and their coastal mussel farm. They founded Attis with the goal of elevating winemaking techniques in Rias Baixas by paying careful attention to soil types when planting and ageing in the cellar. Embaixador is one of their most complex and brilliant wines. It spends two years on the fine lees with frequent stirring and has bright aromas of white peach, grapefruit, and wet river rock. Creamy on the palate, it offers flavors of peach, nectarine, and caramelized mandarin orange.
Granbazan 2021 Albariño Don Alvaro de Bazan
Image Credit: Granbazan Bodegas Granbazan is located in the Salnes Valley in Galicia and is housed in a unique blue tiled building that makes it stand out from other wineries in the area. Grapes for Granbazan’s exceptional wines come from the Tremoedo estate not far from the town of Cambados. The winemaking team uses a herd of Texel sheep during the late winter and early spring to improve soil structure and fertility. Granbazan 2021 Don Alvaro pays homage to the man who was the 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz and an admiral in the Spanish Armada. It has aromas of apple, citrus blossoms, and jasmine with flavors of pear, citrus pith, and bright minerality in the finish.
Palacio de Fefinanes 2022 Albariño III Ano
Image Credit: Palacio de Fefinanes Grapes for this delightful wine were harvested in the third week of September 2022 after a long hot summer. After fermentation the wine was aged on the lees in stainless steel vats with frequent stirring of the fine lees. It then rested in the cellar for two additional years before bottling on December 3, 2024. Just 8,300 standard bottles and 500 magnums were produced of this refreshing yet complex wine. It has aromas of citrus, saline, and melon with bracing acidity and succulent flavors of apple, pear, and grapefruit.
