Light-bodied, fresh and with mouth-watering acidity, Albariño is an indigenous white grape variety from the Iberian Peninsula, popular worldwide for its crisp citrus, stone fruit, light floral flavours and saline edge.
Albariños can be ageworthy too, developing notes like preserved lemon and honey while gaining concentration, additional body and creaminess – particularly for wines aged on their lees during the winemaking process.
Primarily grown in Spain and Portugal where it’s known as Alvarinho, plantings of Albariño can be found across the globe – evident from recent Decanter World Wine Awards results with medal-winning wines coming from New Zealand, Canada, France, Moldova and Uruguay.
Scroll down to see the top-scoring Albariño wines from DWWA 2022
The maritime-influenced region of Rías Baixas in northern Spain, however, is this grape’s heartland, and saw a vast majority of Albariño wines awarded at the 2022 competition – including many of the highest scoring.
Eight varietal Albariño and Albariño-based wines (not including Alvarinho results) were awarded 95+ points at DWWA; six of these to wines from Rías Baixas. The top scoring – Attis, Embaixador Albariño, Rías Baixas 2018 – was awarded 97 points for its complexity, texture, bright acidity and beeswax and tropical fruit flavours.
On judging wines from Spain, DWWA Regional Chair Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW commented, ‘For me, as a professional in this sector, this is a wonderful opportunity to taste a wide array of wines from my country, all levels of quality, while not being influenced by the label. Looking at what is there, it helps me a lot to make up my mind on the present state of the fine wine industry in Spain.’
Both youthful and aged examples of Albariño topped the charts at the 2022 competition, with a 2015 vintage Albariño awarded 95 points for Quinta De Couselo’s Tradición Rosal from Rías Baixas.
Wines from neighbouring Ribeiro also made an appearance at the top of the list with two Albariño blends awarded Gold medals.
To celebrate Albariño Day this 1st August, below discover the top-scoring Albariño and Albariño-based wines to try from DWWA 2022, with more to discover on our results site at awards.decanter.com
Albariño Day: 10 top-scoring wines to try
Attis, Embaixador Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2018
Platinum, 97 points
This is a beautiful, creamy, layered and complex wine with stunning beeswax, apple, tropical fruit and mandarin aromatics. It’s creamy and broad in the mouth with bright balancing acidity. The intensity of flavour is compelling. A really impressive Albariño with power, drive and a long, focussed finish.
Adegas Valdavia, Cuñas Davia, Ribeiro, Spain 2020
Gold, 96 points
Fresh and vibrant, this blend shows great potential and elegance. It has intense and concentrated stone fruit and floral scents, crisp acidity and a long, mineral finish. Wonderfully salivating, energetic, and complex, it’s a thirst-slaking style that will vanish swiftly with a chill and some seafood tapas.
Attis, Nana Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2019
Gold, 96 points
This is a beautiful, top-quality Albariño and everything about it exudes supreme class including its ripe mango, lemon leaf, orange zest, pine resin and apricot bouquet. The palate is energetic, refreshing and textured with layers of oak and candied lemon fruit. The length and balance are similarly of the highest order.
Bodegas Eidosela, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2021
Gold, 96 points
Spicy, herbaceous, menthol, grassy, tropical fruit, lime and ripe apple aromas. On the palate, it is joyous with plenty of fruit, a light spritz, a hint of fennel and remarkable concentration. Very elegant with a long, zesty, finish. Wonderful Albariño! Crying out for food.
Bodegas Chaves, Cinco Islas Oro, Rías Baixas, Spain 2017
Gold, 96 points
This wine is archetypal Albariño bringing apple, peach and some grassy and white asparagus pungency on a fresh and vibrant glassful. It has a distinctive green apple core palate, some honey, a lovely texture and zingy acidity. In a word, seamless, with a long, characteristically distinctive apple pith finish.
Quinta De Couselo, Tradición Rosal, Rías Baixas, Spain 2015
Gold, 95 points
This is high on personality with stupendous top notes of lemon, cream, lime and white florals. The palate is creamy with tangy preserved lemon and ripe stone fruit notes, plus a slight nudge of oak. Persistent finish with a soupçon of salt. Really great stuff.
Lázaro Moreno Sotelo, Laudes Albariño-Godello, Ribeiro, Spain 2020
Gold, 95 points
Ripe tinned peach and creamed coconut aromatics, which nicely move to lime and peach on the palate with a zesty appeal and a rounded creamy interior, with some honeyed evolution adding complexity. In short, this is quite brilliant and makes you sit up and take notice at the first sip.
Maior de Mendoza, Sobre Lías Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2021
Gold, 95 points
Gorgeous lemon and lime fruit aromatics with an explosive fresh palate, bright, concentrated and intense, with herbs and hints of menthol and eucalyptus. It’s slightly grippy but super refreshing with tangy acidity providing the backbone. A wonderful gastronomic style. Startlingly good at its price; you can’t get much more than this.
Pazo de Rubianes, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2021
Silver, 94 points
Lemongrass, citrus and herbaceous nose. The palate is lemony, saline and mineral with a little spritz, nice depth and excellent length. A very good example.
Pazo Baión, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 2020
Silver, 94 points
A superb example with beautiful woody, lime cordial and clementine aromatics. The palate is zingy and zesty with excellent length.
