Why Albariño is My Go-To Vacation Wine

Even bargain bottles from the grocery store are going to be good

Here’s an awesome secret about Albariño wines from Spain: They’re all good. This is one white wine where I can confidently walk into a store, pick up a bottle, and know that it will deliver. That $7 Luzada Albariño from Trader Joe’s? It’s good. The $12 Paco & Lola on the grocery store shelf? Even better. (They’re actually made by the same Spanish growers’ cooperative; Luzada comes from younger vines). 

Albariños are the perfect wine for the beach vacations we’re all looking forward to in the months ahead. They’re always dry with crisp acidity, making them a refreshing poolside sip. Albariños are aromatic, with bright flavors — often white flowers, citrus, peaches, tropical fruit, and sea salt. Those flavors, and the wine’s textural depth, make it a versatile food pairing for vacation fare like fish tacos and green salads. 

Many lower priced Albariños are being made on an industrial scale. But I wanted to explore what’s beyond this raft of “good” wines. So I sought out family-run, artisanal producers who are making wines that push into the territory of “exceptional” — wines of substance that overdeliver for their price. I found some swoon-worthy bottles (including one for $15!). These wines transported me to a sunnier, happier place — and I hope they’ll take you there too.

What to Know

Albariño hails from Spain (and Portugal, where it’s called Alvarinho). The Spanish versions are mostly grown in the Rías Baixas region on the Atlantic coast, where it’s damp and rainy. You wouldn’t think it’s a good place to grow grapes, but the Albariño grape has thick skins that help it withstand the damp climate without succumbing to mildew.

And the growers in Rías Baixas are clever. Instead of the vineyard trellising you’ve seen in places like Napa, the grapes here are trained like a pergola, with vines spreading out to form a canopy up to seven feet over your head. This allows breezes to flow through, further preventing mildew and ensuring even ripening. 

So how can the wines all be high quality? Rías Baixas is one of the smallest wine regions in Spain, and it is controlled by a regulatory body that has strict standards of farming and winemaking. Plus, there’s an extra step: Before using the Rías Baixas name on a bottle, an expert panel tastes and approves that wine for typicity and quality. 

I’m not always a fan of these restrictive practices, common in many European countries; there are benefits and drawbacks I could go on about. But this is such a small region, with so few producers compared to other areas in Spain. The net result is that wines labeled Rías Baixas — in my experience — are high quality across the board. 

TL;DR — When you walk into an unfamiliar grocery store at your beach destination and need a sure thing, look for bottles of Albariño with the “Rías Baixas” label. It’s a shortcut that will give you confidence about the wine’s quality. 

It’s worth noting that lower-priced versions will generally be simpler and lighter bodied, often with tropical fruit flavors. Higher priced versions tend to have more flavor intensity and complexity. But they’ll all be dry and thirst-quenching — a beach buddy that can seamlessly move with you to the dinner table.

As for food pairings, the crisp acidity and bold flavors of Albariño wines make them ideal with “resort food” — grilled shrimp skewers, chicken Caesar salads, ceviche, fish tacos — dishes you can order at the beach club (or easily whip up in a rental kitchen). 

Four to Try

These Albariños are all from Rías Baixas and represent exceptional values at each price point. 

Xión, Bodegas y Viñedos Attis Albariño ($15)

Shocking value. I tasted this blind and guessed that it was around $30. Later, when I sat down to enjoy the bottle with dinner, I harangued my husband over and over: “I can’t believe this is a $15 wine. It’s just so good.” Again and again. I’m sure it was intolerable. But it really is that good. Xíon is fresh, complex, and elegant wine from a third generation-run family winery. White flowers, nectarine, and lemon zest aromas lead into stone fruit and melon flavors. The wine is medium-bodied, with textural depth that comes from mouthwatering acidity and salty minerality. This is one wine I’d happily buy by the case for a house white wine that drinks far above its price tag. 

Zarate, Albariño, Rías Baixas ($19)

Outstanding value. The organic and biodynamic producer Zarate makes some of the top Albariños in the world; this is their entry-level wine. Founded in 1707 (that’s not a typo!), the winery farms the oldest-known Albariño vineyards. This wine shows the best of Albariño. It is crisp and aromatic (white blossoms + lemon zest + yellow apple) with bright flavors (lemon + lime + sea salt) and subtle textural richness. It’s a gorgeous wine. If I had to choose one Albariño as my “forever wine,” this would be it.   

Do Ferreiro Albariño 2018 ($28)

This family-run, organic winery near the ocean makes low intervention wines from vines that range from 20 to 120 years old. Vibrant aromas and flavors (lemons + sea salt + green apple) are paired with high acidity, mineral complexity, and a rounded texture in a medium-bodied package. There’s a long, salty finish that drives you back for the next sip. I paired this with sushi takeout one night. Those briny notes with the sweetness of sea urchin? OMG yes.  

Forjas Del Salnés, Leirana, Albariño 2019 ($35)

This Albariño comes from a family domaine that makes beautiful, minerally, structured wines from old vines. Rock star winemaker Raúl Pérez consults here, with a natural winemaking approach — native yeast fermentation, no enzyme or yeast additions, and minimal sulfur. This wine has incredible intensity of aromas and flavors — white flowers, ginger, lemon, seashells. It is full-bodied with crisp acidity that evolves into a surprisingly rich texture on the mid palate. A stunning wine; worth the price tag.