About Albariño

Most Vitis vinifera cultivars are hardy in Zones 6 or 7, meaning healthy vines can survive temperatures from zero to minus 10°F. The European Union has grouped wine production not by hardiness but by three major categories: A, B and C with C subdivided into four subregions. Zone A is the coldest and it's where Ireland would fall into. Zone C is the warmest and C I and C II is where northern Spain fits.



Over the past two years of sailing the coast of the Iberian Peninsula, we've fallen in love with a DO Albariño. It is grown in 5 regions of the Rias Baixas in Galicia, Spain. One of those regions is quite cool and wet not unlike where we are. Val do Salnés, surrounding the historic town of Cambados, is known as the birthplace of the Albariño grape. Located on the Atlantic coast, it is the original and oldest sub-region with the most area under vine and the highest concentration of wineries. This is also the coolest and wettest sub-region with an average temperature of just 55º F. The soil is rocky and granitic with alluvial top-soil. Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated (not cemented together into a solid rock) soil or sediments, which has been eroded, reshaped by water in some form, and redeposited in a non-marine setting. Guess what soil we have?

We have found a source of Albariño vines. The minimum quantity is 25. Looks like we're placing an order. In the meantime, we'll be learning how the wine is made.

"Spain produces Albariño to a significant degree in the Rías Baixas DO, especially in the town of Cambados. It is also common in the Vinho Verde region of Portugal, but it is only authorized to be grown in Monção. In other locations such as Ribeiro, Lima, Braga or Valdeorras it is often mixed with other grapes such as Loureiro, Godello, Caiño, Arinto or Treixadura to produce blended wines. Such blends were common throughout Galicia too until about 1985; when the Rías Baixas DO was established on an experimental basis in 1986, Albariño began to emerge as a varietal, both locally and internationally. Its recent emergence as a varietal led the wines to be "crafted for the palates of Europe, America and beyond and for wine drinkers who wanted clean flavors and rich, ripe fruit" and led to wines completely different from those produced across the river in Portugal.

In recent years Albarino has attracted the attention of Australian winemakers, several of whom are now producing varietal wines. However, it has recently been discovered that grape growers and wine makers in Australia have been supplying and selling wrongly labelled Albarino for over a decade. They thought they were pouring money into the market for the Spanish grape, only to discover they were incorrectly sold cuttings of the French Savagnin grape instead. A French expert visiting Australia raised questions in 2008 and DNA testing has confirmed that the grapes are in fact French Savagnin. Almost all wine in Australia labelled as Albarino will be Savagnin."

Courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Suitable Zones (US hardiness rating):
This vine is suitable for zones 6, 7, 8, 9, 10