White Wines of Spain

White Wines of Spain

While popularly known for robust reds and Sherries, Spain offers a variety of interesting white wines that provide amazing flavor and are refreshing for the summer.

Albariño

Albariño is most closely associated with Spain’s Rias Baixas region, north of Portugal. The ocean’s proximity can give Albariños a brininess, which makes them a great seafood pairing wine. The Morgadio Albariño has intense citrus notes and a clean finish that is typical of Albariños from Rias Baixas. 

Txacolina

The Basque Country, in northern Spain, is known for producing a unique white wine called Txakolina (pronounced chock-oh-LEE-nah), made from the Hondurrabi Zuri grape, native to the region. The wine is intensely dry with a vibrant acidity. The effervescent style is considered the perfect thirst quencher on a hot day, as those who joined us for our in-store tasting on July 22 can attest.  The Talai Berri Txakolina has distinct apple, lemon and grapefruit notes, with a hint of minerality.  Readers of our previous blog post will remember that this is a great alternative for those who enjoy Vinho Verde or Pinot Grigio.

Verdejo

Rueda is located along the Duero river in northern Spain and is dedicated almost entirely to white wine.  The Verdejo grape, native to Rueda, is used in a majority of the wine produced. They are generally unoaked in order to produce light and fresh wines. Wines labeled as “Verdejo” must be at least 85% Verdejo. If it is labeled as “Rueda”, it only needs to contain 50% Verdejo and may be blended with Viura or Sauvignon Blanc. Garciarévalo Casamaro contains 90% Verdejo and 10% Viura. There are notes of quince, melon, and apricot on the palate with minerality on the finish.  

Rioja Blanco

Also known as Macabeo, the grape Viura is grown throughout Spain and in parts of France. It is one of the three grapes used to produce Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine made in the Champagne method.  Viura is also the primary white wine grape in Rioja where it accounts for 90% of Rioja Blanco wines.  Styles can range from light-bodied to full-bodied, based on the degree to which the wines are aged in oak.  The Ostatu Rioja Blanco is a blend of Viura and Malvasia. The wine has pronounced minerality with lemon, apricot and citrus peel flavors. 

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