Albariño

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Albariño (/ˌal.baˈɾiː.ɲo/ – Galician) or Alvarinho (/ˌal.vaˈɾiː.ɲo/ – Portuguese) is a variety of white wine grape grown in Galicia (northwest Spain) and northern Portugal, where it is used to make varietal white wines.

International wines made from this varietal are most notably from the Rías Baixas DO. It is also common in the Vinho Verde region of Portugal, but it is only authorized to be growned in Monção. In other locations such as Ribeiro, Lima, Braga or Valdeorras it is often mixed with other grapes such as Loureiro, 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^[1]. 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^[1].

The Portuguese Vinho Verde, a designated wine region since 1908, is traditionally "high in acidity, low in alcohol, usually lightly sparkling and meant to be drunk almost immediately after bottling"^[1]. This tradition meant that as of 2002, more than 60% of Vinho Verde is sold within its own region, with most of the rest sold elsewhere in Portugal^[1].

The grape is famed for its distinctive aroma, very similar to that of Viognier^{[citation needed]}, suggesting apricot and peach. The wine produced is unusually light, and generally high in acidity. Its thick skins and large number of pips can cause residual bitterness. Its vines are also notoriously difficult to ripen, even in the hot summers of the peninsula, though this is often due to over-crowding of vines by the winemakers^{[citation needed]}.

Albariño is actually the Galician name for the grape, with Albarín Blanco an occasional synonym. In Portugal it is known as Alvarinho, and sometimes as Cainho Branco. It is thought by some^{[citation needed]} to be a Riesling clone originating from the Alsace region of France although some believe^{[citation needed]} that the grape is actually a close relative of the French grape Petit Manseng.