I'm sitting on a bus that's whipping its way through the sunny, hilly, green Galician countryside after a day of checking out a multitude of wineries in Rias Baixas in the northwestern corner of Spain. Never heard of Rias Baixas? You’re not alone. While its Albariño grapes have gained a lot of attention in the U.S. over the last five years or so, this area of production often still remains unknown to many a curious oenophile.
Pronounced ree-us by-shuss, this breezy area of Spain north of Portugal and rimming the Atlantic Ocean is known for its incredible seafood—think cockles, mussels, clams, oysters, oysters, several kinds of scallops—which is so fresh and delicious that I can attest you won't stop eating it till you're filled to the gills; and, of course, it's golden, subtle, refreshingly acidic, orchard-fruit scented wine, Albariño.
Albariño and the scrumptious, abundant seafood of Rias Biaxis are so perfect together, I can barely contain myself from exclaiming, “Ah ha!” every time I sit down to a meal this week. My colleague, the sommelier and wine educator Marnie Old, calls Albariño “the squeeze of lemon on the fish,”—which to me says it best: The two things are so perfect together, you almost can’t imagine having one without the other.
(Look for more on Marnie Old in a future post. We'll be chatting about the nuances of pairing beer and wine with great dishes, in celebration of her new book):
Even though Albariño and seafood are idyllic together, I find it’s a much more versatile wine than it sometimes gets credit for. Also, it’s utterly delightful all by its lonesome—full of the aromas of apples and pears, its taste can have a minerally, almost flinty quality, with a nice rush of citrus and white pepper on the finish that’s as refreshing as it is full of flavor. By and large, you can buy it in the U.S.A. for under twenty bucks a bottle, so it’s reasonable and delicious—two of my favorite things.
When I get home, I'll be stocking up on Albariño for all the summery seafood dinners my husband and I are so fond of throwing together in the months when carefree, easy meals are the way to go.
Summer Sangria
Sangria is a delicious treat when the warm weather hits, and it also makes a great, easy party cocktail. I came up with this recipe to play up the apple notes that Albariño tends to have by using Calvados and apple juice. It’s fruity, gently sweet, and totally refreshing. Tip: Be sure to keep an extra bottle of Albariño on hand when mixing up a pitcher—it goes fast!
- 1 750 ml bottle Albariño
- 1/2 cup Calvados or other apple brandy
- 2 cups apple juice
- 1⁄2 oz. simple syrup
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cut into thin slices
- 1 orange, cut into thin slices
- 1 lemon
Pour the bottle of Albariño into a large pitcher. Add in the Calvados, apple juice, and simple syrup. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon. Cut up fruit into thin slices and add into the pitcher. Stir and chill for an hour. Serve over ice. Enjoy!
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