An instant staff and customer favorite!
Visiting the northeast coast of Spain gives one the feeling they're in Ireland rather than Spain. The verdant landscape is green and rich and the vineyards enjoy huge ocean influence in addition to the small rivers and estuaries known as "rías" slicing through the rolling slopes. Just north of the Portuguese border, Rias Baixas (pronounced REE-ahss BI-shass) is the home of Spain's most important white wine grape: Albariño. This thick-skinned grape thrives in the windswept cool climates of Galicia, notably in Rias Baixas. Local seafood, especially shellfish rule the culinary roost here and along with Muscadet, I consider Albariño the perfect pair for all shellfish and white-fleshed fish.
Albariño is both opulent and focused, featuring lush and ripe notes of peach, apricot, and melon, along with floral notes of almond blossom and honeysuckle all framed in a precise minerality leading to a super crisp and fresh finish with lingering lemon and lime hints. Singing all through the palate, however, is the signature salty minerality that lends a complexity only offered in wines grown in maritime climates.
We first introduced this Albariño last year at one of our Open House tastings and it has quickly become a staff and customer favorite. For Hammond and me, this has become one of our standard "house whites".
Not familiar with Albariño? If you love citrusy, focused wines with a clean "cut" you'll love this. Sauvignon Blanc lover? You'll love the mineral-driven nature of the Xión and the clean, round fruit that perfectly balances the razor-sharp acidity.
We'll be rotating this gem into our Wine Tasting Station, so stop in and grab a taste!
Want to read up a little more on Albariño? Check out this cool read from the Chicago Tribune.
Sale Price every day:
$19.99 per bottle
$16.99 in a case
Don't miss this extraordinary Albariño!
As always, if you can't make it in, just call with a credit card and we'll store your order in the cellar for pickup at your convenience.