Albariño

Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada is an incredible white wine produced in the D.O. Rias Baixas by the Pazo de Señorans winery and is undoubtedly one of the finest wines made from Albariño grapes as well as one of the greatest white wines produced in Spain. The grapes used to produce Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada come from gnarly old vines of over 45 years old planted on an elaborate trellis system so that the plant is protected from the soil moisture but also has a greater leaf surface area exposed to the sun.

The vineyard is planted about 300 meters above sea level on poor sandy soils of decomposed granite and a cool Atlantic climate with mild temperatures and abundant rainfall. Pazo de Señorans have been an industry leader in showing the aging potential of Albariño and releasing older wines. Collectors and connoisseurs should indulge themselves!

Pazo Señorans Selección Añada 2013 Albarino, DO Rias Baixas, Spain, 13% Abv.

The seriously fine Pazo Señorans Selección Añada 2013 is a fabulously cool, taut, creamy Albariño creation that expresses both youthful and subtle tertiary aromatics all at once. Matured in stainless steel for 36 months on its fine lees, the wine is then aged for a further 72 months in tank before being bottled in April 2022. The wine always shows such incredibly fine-tuned, pure precision without any oxidative notes whatsoever. On the nose, the 2013 positively bristles with hints of dried herbs, acacia flowers, quince puree, pithy waxy lemons, honeysuckle, yellow grapefruit, black currant, and complex notes of smoky lees, and crushed granite minerality. The palate baffles the mind with an electrically charged bright acidity that invigorates the senses with its intensity and freshness. The wine unfurls in the glass for hours, revealing layer upon layer of ripe stone fruits, crunchy white peach, tart yellow grapefruit, gooseberry, and tart green apple. A truly wonderful, eccentric style of premium Albariño that every fine wine lover should drink at least once! Drink now and over the next 8 to 10 years.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Albariño… a vibrant Spanish/Portuguese grape variety that is undoubtedly characterised by a uniquely palate-tingling freshness, a light-bodied purity and a crystalline clarity. Saline, zingy and always zippy, where ever grown, it’s the natural partner of a raw ceviche, sushi or any classic seafood pairings. But who would have thought it would settle into South Africa so well!? Assyrtiko… ok, that seemed a no brainer, but this cool climate variety has yielded fantastic results for not only Newton Johnson but also Springfield Estate.

Albariño is a thick skinned grape variety that can thrive in moist, high-altitude vineyards by the sea – in a Spanish context that means the Galician region of Rías Baixas in the North West near Santiago de Compostela – without succumbing to mould or rot unlike some other more delicate varieties. Higher altitude vineyards generally means a cooler climate, stopping the grapes from over-ripening in the Spanish heat but instead allowing them to retain their own fresh, bright acidity that gives this grape its own characteristic mouth-watering style.

First planted in South Africa by Newton Johnson Vineyards in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, the first unofficial bottling was, I believe, the 2014 vintage which was served at an “alternative varieties seminar” at Cape Wine 2015, and since then, this grape has continued to impress meriting more producers to invest in plantings.

*Bevan Newton Johnson in jovial mood at the 2019 New Wave Tasting in London.*

Newton Johnson Vineyards Albariño 2018, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, 13 Abv.

The 2018 Albariño was matured in 55% stainless steel together with a concrete egg portion with some also in 2,000 litre foudres. Another outstanding Albariño effort, this 2018 shows fabulous crystalline vintage purity and minerality that’s finely embellished and enhanced by notes of crunchy white peaches, lime peel, wet river pebbles and ruby grapefruit zest. The palate shows an impressive harmony and fleshy balance enlivened by beautiful saline notes of the sea shore, bitter yellow grapefruit confit and complex Riesling-like kerosene hints. Fresh but not tart and deliciously piquant. Drink now and over the next 3 to 5 years.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)