Albariño shares Sauvignon Blanc’s grapefruity tang, making it a great partner for grilled fish, yet it has a flinty minerality all its own.

Star Selection: 2006 Bodegas Fillaboa ($17)

Fillaboa’s estate vineyards in Spain’s Rías Baixas region provide the fruit for this spot-on Albariño, which is full of the bright grapefruit flavors and seashell minerality that make the variety so appealing.

2006 Lícia ($15)

The flavors of this zesty white, a joint venture between winemaker Jose Maria Ureta and importer Winebow, run between lemon and pineapple.

2006 Nora ($17)

Viña Nora, a Galician winery, was founded by a group of investors including Javier Alen, owner of the benchmark Ribeiro wine estate Viña Mein. It produces a straw-colored wine that’s fresh and lively, with a light honeysuckle scent and focused citrus fruit.

2005 Finca de Arantei ($18)

This Albariño producer is located in Rías Baixas’s warmest subregion, Condado do Tea. Combined with the heat of the 2005 vintage, this produced a ripe, tropical fruit–scented bottling with a focused, refreshing finish.

2007 Aforado O Rosal ($20)

Wines from O Rosal in Spain’s Rías Baixas region typically blend Albariño with two other local grapes, Loureiro and Treixadura. Light and vibrant, Aforado O Rosal is marked by delicate lime notes.

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Ca’ del Solo ($20)

Idiosyncratic winemaker Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon grew the grapes for this crisp white in his biodynamic vineyard near Soledad, California. The wine is marked by lemon-zest notes and a lasting mineral finish.

Plus:

Classic Pairing for Grilled Fish: Sauvignon Blanc

Published June 2008