Spring and summer are just around the corner, and we keep looking for delicious and refreshing whites to enjoy on warm and sunny days. Many of you will remember the 2020 La Val Finca Arantei Albarino, as it was one of our top-selling whites of 2022. It's back, and the new vintage is just a good, maybe even better!
Albarino is considered the great white wine of Spain, and it is grown in Rias Baixas, in Spain's northwestern corner. Bodegas La Val was one of the first wineries of the DO when it was established in 1988 and today, they are one of the most respected Albarino specialists in the region. Why? Because they farm organically, all of their wines are composed of 100% estate-grown fruit, the wines see extended lees aging, and they ferment with native yeasts.
2021 Bodegas La Val Albarino 'Finca Arantei'
Fine textured, full-bodied, and beautiful Albarino at a great price!
ORDER NOW in our online store.
Planted in 1989, the Finca Arantei vineyard is solely owned by Bodegas La Val, and this site is located in the Condado de Tea sub-region of Rias Baixas. This area sits further inland than its coastal counterparts, and the climate here is warmer and drier, yielding fuller-bodied and riper and more voluminous wines. Put simply, this is La Val's top Albarino, and Finca Arantei is one of the reference-point wines of Rias Baixas.
Albarino is considered one Spain's top white varieties, and the grape is responsible for some of Spain's most compelling whites. This deserves mention as one of those! From older vines, Finca Arante is an intense and exotically aromatic expression of Albarino. Offering up a heavenly bouquet of peach, mango, dried pineapple, salty mineral, and white florals, this is quite full-bodied and rounded on the palate, with bold flavors and a long finish.
Don't let that description lead you to believe this wine is lacking acidity. Far from it, this retains Albarino's natural acidity wonderfully; it just has a more harmonious and connected feel to it. This is no doubt achieved by the longer than usual lees aging (6-8 months) that the winery gives this wine. This allows the harshest aspects of the wine's acidity to soften and mellow.
This patience and commitment to producing their wines in a "slower" and more meticulous fashion really shows in the finished wine. Whether you're already on the "Albarino train" or want to join the party, this is the wine for you. Enjoy with lobster, crab cakes, or creamy scallop dishes.
ORDER NOW in our online store.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville