🍇 Albariño
A white grape of the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula: according to VIVC it comes from Portugal, where it is called Alvarinho; the main variety of Rías Baixas in Galicia.
Albariño is a white wine grape from the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. According to the VIVC catalogue, its homeland is Portugal, where it is called Alvarinho. The catalogue lists 11 synonyms, among them Albariño.
In Galicia, according to the specification of the Rías Baixas appellation, Albariño is by far the main variety there. Wine labelled Rías Baixas Albariño is made only from it, and the Condado do Tea, Rosal and Salnés wines contain at least 70% of the named varieties, Albariño among them. Vines there are traditionally trained on high pergolas (emparrado), which among other things helps limit fungal diseases, a serious problem in the area.
In Portugal, a 2001 ordinance reserved the names Vinho Verde Alvarinho and Vinho Verde Alvarinho Espumante for the Monção sub-region, which covers the municipalities of Monção and Melgaço: these wines are made only from Alvarinho grown and vinified there.
According to VIVC, Spain had 5,320 ha of the grape in 2008 and Portugal 2,340 ha in 2010; there are also small plantings in California.
Why it matters to you. Rías Baixas Albariño, according to the specification, is a straw-yellow wine with citrus, floral and fruit aromas, apple above all, and light acidity. Albariño on a Spanish label and Alvarinho on a Portuguese one are the same grape.
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Albariño → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- What is made from it
- 🥃 Aguardente de Vinho da Região dos Vinhos Verdes, 🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira da Região dos Vinhos Verdes, 🥃 Aguardiente de hierbas de Galicia
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ Portuguese wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Galicia, 📍 Rías Baixas, 📍 Vinho Verde, 📍 Monção e Melgaço
- Main grape in
- 📍 Vinho Verde, 📜 Minho
- Offspring
- 🍇 Caíño Blanco
- Similar and different
- 🍇 Albarino
Frequently asked questions
Where does Albariño come from?
According to the VIVC catalogue, from Portugal; today it is grown in northern Portugal and in Galicia in Spain.
What kind of wine does Albariño make?
According to the Rías Baixas specification, Rías Baixas Albariño has citrus, floral and fruit aromas, apple above all, and light acidity.
Are Albariño and Alvarinho the same grape?
Yes. VIVC lists it under the name Alvarinho, with Albariño among its synonyms.
What to read next
- 🍇 Albarino — A separate entry for the white grape Albariño marked as Italian; according to VIVC the prime name of the variety is Alvarinho.
- 🗺️ Portuguese wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes, appellations.
- 📜 Minho — A regional wine of north-west Portugal, the same area as Vinho Verde.
- 🥃 Aguardente Bagaceira da Região dos Vinhos Verdes — Grape pomace spirit from the Vinho Verde region of north-western Portugal: at least 40 % vol., sold only in containers of up to 1 litre bearing a guarantee seal.
- 📍 Monção e Melgaço — The best-known subzone, home of Alvarinho.
Similar
🍇 Caiño Tinto · 🍇 Loureiro · 🍇 Caíño Blanco · 🍇 Loureira · 🍇 Azal Tinto · 🍇 Souzão
Sources
- VIVC
- Wikidata
- Pliego de condiciones de la DOP Rías Baixas (AGACAL, Xunta de Galicia, julio 2024)
- Portaria n.º 28/2001, de 16 de Janeiro (sub-regiões da Região Demarcada dos Vinhos Verdes), FAOLEX