Most wine consumers in North America associate Spain with red, yet this huge wine producing country boasts excellent dry white libations.
Here, tucked in teh north-western corner of the country, Rias Baixas with five sub-regions is well known to produce extraordinary dry white wines from the albarino grape.
Although the denominacion origen regulations allow 12 grape varieties, most wineries employ albarino predominantly.
One sub-region of Rias Baixas is just north of the Portuguese border; the others are further north and east.
This region’s wines are best enjoyed young, and with poached, an-fried, and stewed seafood.
Here the cool, damp maritime climate ripens grapes slowly, retaining their refreshing acidity. The diurnal temperature changes between day and night contribute to fruity, citrus flavours, and richness.
Soils are granitic and drain well; another reason for growing grapes that yield refreshingly acid-driven wines.
Rias Baixas’ production is relatively small and is exported in small quantities.
Burgans Albarino, 2008 from Martin Codax is fruity, and acid-driven, light and refreshing.
Martin Codax is one of the largest wieners in the region, located on the Burgans Hill, hence the name.
If you want to intrigue and surprise your wine drinking friends, serve it “blind” and ask them what they think of it.
Gandia O Rosal 2008 Terras is another Rias Baxias wine from O Rosal sub-region, exuding mandarin, grapefruit and pineapple aromas. It has an excellent balance, and a racy acidity to complements grilled sardines or poached salmon served cold, with dilled-mayonnaise.

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Tags: EXQUISITE, RIAS BAIXA’S, WHITE WINES

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 06:00 and is filed under Food & Wine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.