Albariño from Spain was on the screen and in my glass. I pulled a cold bottle from the wine fridge and settled in for a one-hour Zoom class hosted by New York-based importer Olé & Obrigado.
“El Camino del Albariño” is their July-August virtual education and promotional tour. It’s an invitation to wine pros to adopt the Iberian variety on their menus and to raise money for charity via Albariño sales. Drawing inspiration from the historic Camino de Santiago, the campaign reimagines Albariño as a pilgrim wandering across America, doing good works and winning converts along the way.
Albariño has never needed to persuade me. My very first sip of the variety was indeed a near-religious epiphany, a “Where have you been all my life?” moment.
A trio of pears, lemons, and white flowers hit a hymn-like chord. Its brightness was arresting, its fragrance fascinating. Since then, I’ve been eager to learn more about Albariño (and the Portuguese version, Alvarinho). I ravenously taste different producers, styles, and expressions whenever I get the chance.
Albariño is best known as a youthful, high-acid dry white wine. It’s perfect for seafood and summer sipping. But more substantial Albariños (bottle-aged, lees-aged, and barrel fermented examples) are gaining recognition. As export volume rises and familiarity with the variety increases, American drinkers are beginning to think of Albariño as more than just a patio wine.
Granbazán “Etiqueta Ámbar” is worthy of that attention–a layered, fully dry white wine that spends eight months on its lees.
A clean, mellow nose that’s dominated by yellow fruits with subtle creaminess and herbs. Yellow apple, quince, pâte à choux. Magnolia flowers, tangerine, soft green melon, and raw pine nuts. The palate is saline with fennel lingering on the finish.
Served a bit warmer, some tropical fruit notes emerge, especially pineapple. Alcohol is moderate, inviting you to breathe deeply from the glass to capture it all. All the varied flavors are held together by a firm spine of acidity and the perfect amount of richness.
Bodegas Granbazán is one of the benchmark Galician producers and was instrumental in establishing the Rías Baixas DO. All of their wines are made exclusively from Albariño and span a range of styles and prices.
Of these, “Etiqueta Ámbar” is the signature bottling made with 100% free-run juice. It retails here for around $30. When dining out, I often reach for the lighter “Etiqueta Verde” ($22). We can kill a bottle of it with sushi or oysters, no problem. Another great-value bottle I’m enjoying lately is Nortico Alvarinho ($16) from Portugal.
Food pairing: Albariño is one of the easiest wines to pair–but I confess I usually drink it by itself, as an aperitif. I enjoyed a half-glass of Ámbar during my Zoom class. I served the rest of the bottle to friends who dropped in, and now they are Albariño converts, too.
Bottle: Granbazán “Etiqueta Ámbar” Albariño Rías Baixas (2023) – Galicia, Spain
Variety: Albariño (100%)
ABV: 12.5%
Suggested retail: $32.99
My rating: 9.2 (out of 10)
Review disclosure: I attended an educational Zoom class hosted by Olé & Obrigado. I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
Leave a Comment