Wine 101: Albariño & Vinho Verde

Albariño produces Spain’s best white wines—fresh, lively bottlings that pair especially well with seafood.

This is no surprise, as the grape is grown in Galicia, where the fishing industry drives the economy. Mostly made in stainless steel tanks without oak, Albariño has crisp flavors that suggest grapefruit and other citrus fruits, with a light mineral edge.

Vinho Verde, or “green wine,” from northern Portugal, often blends the Albariño grape (called Alvarinho there) with local varieties Loureiro and Trajadura. Bottled so young that it often has a lightly spritzy quality, Vinho Verde has a razor-sharp acidity and ocean freshness; it too is an ideal match for raw shellfish.