I enjoyed sharing this wine earlier in the week with some new wine-loving friends. It was perhaps an odd choice following a Bordeaux tasting but after all that tannin we were in need of refreshment, and had shared some Muscadet in the restaurant.
I offered white or red, and white was chosen, but... they didn’t want anything oaky. Given I had several oak bombs in the fridge calling my name, including a very fabulous white Rioja, I went into panic mode.
Luckily I’d had a delivery from The Wine Society’s bin-end sale that morning and this was all I had popped in the fridge.
No oak.
But!
Was it really without oak?
Albariño aged in stainless steel, 30 months on the lees and another year in the bottle (before release) plus bottle age, really fooled everyone. There was that body and complexity that oak can bring.
There was intense minerality, refreshing acidity, not much fruit left but some peachy notes. The common guess was oaked Chardonnay.
It was a fascinating way to try Albariño from a pioneer of this style. Being honest, I doubt I’d have guessed it right in a blind tasting either!
Although I really enjoyed it and am glad I tried it, I think for the price, I’d sooner have an oaky Chardonnay or a couple of bottles of the regular Pazo Señorans Albariño, which remains one of my favourite unoaked whites.
Wine is such a joy when shared with people willing to try something different.
Don’t get stuck in a wine rut. Experiment.
Be open to new experiences. If you need help figuring out what you like, a Purple Teeth wine tasting party in your own home could help you try new things with zero pressure to buy.
Whatever you’re drinking this weekend, drink responsibly and enjoy every drop.
Cheers!
I offered white or red, and white was chosen, but... they didn’t want anything oaky. Given I had several oak bombs in the fridge calling my name, including a very fabulous white Rioja, I went into panic mode.
Luckily I’d had a delivery from The Wine Society’s bin-end sale that morning and this was all I had popped in the fridge.
No oak.
But!
Was it really without oak?
Albariño aged in stainless steel, 30 months on the lees and another year in the bottle (before release) plus bottle age, really fooled everyone. There was that body and complexity that oak can bring.
There was intense minerality, refreshing acidity, not much fruit left but some peachy notes. The common guess was oaked Chardonnay.
It was a fascinating way to try Albariño from a pioneer of this style. Being honest, I doubt I’d have guessed it right in a blind tasting either!
Although I really enjoyed it and am glad I tried it, I think for the price, I’d sooner have an oaky Chardonnay or a couple of bottles of the regular Pazo Señorans Albariño, which remains one of my favourite unoaked whites.
Wine is such a joy when shared with people willing to try something different.
Don’t get stuck in a wine rut. Experiment.
Be open to new experiences. If you need help figuring out what you like, a Purple Teeth wine tasting party in your own home could help you try new things with zero pressure to buy.
Whatever you’re drinking this weekend, drink responsibly and enjoy every drop.
Cheers!
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