There is a lot of fantastic ‘Alvarinho’ on the Portuguese side that can be had for under $20. In NYC I find the Spanish stuff is either too pricey on the quality side or poorly made on the cheaper side. As someone mentioned above, there are also some great Vinho Verde wines made exclusively from Alvarinho and Loureiro, the two better quality varieties of the area, and should be sought out.
Damning with faint praise? I liked the Albarino much better than just “more than rose.” BUt then again, I even disliked the SQN Rise that sold for $40,000.
Gregg … Jesus. Thank you. Albarino in our experience is super transparent. Anything you try to do in the winery ruins what makes the variety great. Two biggest factors in what we’ve seen is site and nailing the pick date. Other than that, it’s scarily simple, scary because there’s no room for error.
Aromatic whites love the Salinas Valley.
Do Ferreiro and Benito Santos are both excellent, produce multiple bottlings, and transform nicely with age.
The bottle of Fefiñanes I had was also excellent but that is the limit of my experience with the producer.
How do you pronounce Rias Baixas?
Rías Baixas (ree-ahs-buy-shuss)
I’ve had only a couple. The La Cana was quite enjoyable as well as the Val do Sosego. Also enjoyed the one Cali Albarino I had from Pasoport Wine Co.