Fresh and crisp are the two best words for this. I could add early season peach, loads of minerals, lemon peel and a dash of kaffir lime leaves and all the usual albariño descriptors but that would complicate it too much.  This is classic valmiñor: tight and focused with intensely minerally acid and a long tangy finish of white peach and lime leaves.  Excellent stuff, almost Chablis like in character. I’m loving these 07 Albariños…92 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $34 Closure: Screwcap

Web: www.adegasvalminor.com

So the first up is a wine that’s become a bit of a favourite. I find the Fefinanes really shows the best of each vintage and always shows real class. In 2007, Rias Baixas was one of the few regions to  rate the vintage as Excellent. There was less fruit to go around but from what I’ve seen so far the wines look spot on.

 An aromatic nose with white peach, pear and apple, some musky white flowers, and lemon peel.  This vintage sees a return of the flinty, minerally acid that I love in albariño, along with the usual textured mouth feel. The balance is very good and the length is long.  The palate shows apples with a lemon/lime combo, some peach towards the finish and flinty stones and minerals.  This is hitting all the right buttons for me, another classic from the chaps at Fefiñanes. 92 Pts.

Source: Toro/Woods wines Price: Around $40 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.fefinanes.com

Other Vintages: 2005, 2006

Fairly much text book albariño on the nose: freshly sliced lemons, a shake of white peaches, a bit of jasmine and lime blossom. A convincing mix of texture with a tight acid backbone, gives good mouthfeel. It’s very long on the finish with some rocky minerals and a lemon tang.   Clean, fresh, and direct, the palate mirrors the nose for the most part. A classy act. 90 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $35 Closure: Conventional Cork

So on to the wine. This is the entry level wine for Martin Codax and its probably the only Spanish Albariño available under $20. And its a good wine too.

Aromas of white peach, lime, white flowers and a subtle muskiness. Its got texture in the mouth, its a bit flabby and sweet in the middle, but the acid balances this out for a clean finish. Apple and white peach on the palate with a bit of flint and lemon oil. It’s a well priced drink, It’s not going to knock you off your feet, but you can now afford to drink Spanish albariño any night of the week. 87 Pts.

This albariño is a little bit different to many of the wines we have seen here in Australia. And even though most albariños are food wines, this one is especially so. These guys really emphasise the relationship between the sea and the food and wine traditions of Galicia, right down to the blue bottle with waves at its base. There is also a little gimmick here, if you look at the larger image there is no blue ship on the front label. If you bung the bottle in the fridge for a bit, a blue ship will appear when the wine is cold enough to drink.

Something a bit different on the nose: honeysuckle, lemon, ripe melon and seaside undergrowth. In the mouth its an acid forward style, showing some minerals followed up some apple, peach and apricot fruit in the middle. The finish shows off more crunchy minerals and tangy acid. A big bowl of mussels is in order when you’ve got a bottle of this in the fridge, but maybe a bit too much acid for drinking by itself. 89Pts

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $40 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.mardefrades.com

The wine is named after one of Galicia’s oldest known minstrels, and to celebrate this guy’s work you get some sheet music on the (synthetic) cork. Its bass clef on this bottle. I gave it a go on the ol’ Fender Jazz, but it’s not really my thing. The wine is tho.

An elegant nose of peach and pear with some jasmine and waxy lemon peel. Its feels quite delicate and lightly textured in the mouth, but look a bit deeper and you’ll find there is a strong acid backbone. I’d say that this is made in a fairly straight forward way that lets the fruit do all the talking, i.e. without out any lees stirring etc. White peach, lime and apple with a touch of passion fruit. A tidy finish with some chalky minerals. Far too easy to drink, there should be a warning on the label. 90 Pts

This is a new wine for Ce Soir Imports, and it should be available later in the year. There is no sub region specified, but it has all the hallmarks of a wine from Val do Salnes. Adegas Galegas is a small producer that is part of the large Grupo Galiciano that make a huge range of wines in Galicia, including a very interesting looking Marc called Ada that has little kids running around the bottle. 

Crisp apple, pear and lime, with white peach, jasmine and a bit of smoke. In the mouth its shows direct acid and good texture with more apple, kaffir lime leaves, plenty of minerally acid and a bit of musk stick. The quality really shows here, it's in the lean and minerally camp of Albariño. A very worthy addition to the growing number of Albariño available in Australia. 90 Pts.

Source: Ce Soir Imports Price: $30 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.galiciano.com

It looks like the weather gods are having one last go at making it uncomforably hot here in Melbourne. 37 Today and plenty of 37-40 degree days for the rest of the week. So don't expect many tasting notes of big Reds from Spain this week, although thats mainly what's in the tasting pile at the moment. It cooled down a bit this afternoon, so I popped the cork on this one. The price from the importer is a bit steep, there are plenty of other Albarinos around for about $20 less.

Holding a pale straw colour in the glass with aromas of white peach and lemon with a bit of shaley minerals. In the mouth its more lean and steely than generous, showing some tidy acid and a long finish. Tight fruit on the palate, lemons and peach with some apples that add complexity. There is some sage towards the finish with the swirling minerals. I like it, but its been priced quite above the growing market of Spanish whites. 90 Pts

I've been meaning to buy the 2006 of this wine for a while, I've been downing bottles of the stuff at bars but haven't written it up yet. So when I stopped in to Rathdowne Cellars and saw a bottle of the 2005, it went straight in the basket. The packaging on this has to be one of the most kitsch out there, but it somehow works and draws your attention straight to this funky little bottle. 

Its the colour of old hay in the glass and shows some white peach, florally lemon, and a shake of sherbet on the nose. Quite powerful in the mouth, it walks a fine line between lean and full flavoured with a spine of acid to keep everything ship-shape. The palate shows mostly bright green apples, but with some lime/grapefruit sherbet and slatey minerals. A generous finish with some more of those lovely minerals and a touch of apricot. Drinking really well now, you could keep it around for a couple of years without too much harm. 90 Pts.

Source: Rathdowne Cellars Price: $38 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.agrodebazansa.es

The nose opens with some excellent fruit: lemons, apples , pears and a touch of white peach.  Impeccable balance and mouthfeel, its focused and driving on the palate with long finish that shows a touch of pepper, flint and lime.  The palate is all apples, pears and lemons with some white pepper and kaffir lime leaves.  This was magic with a whole steamed snapper with soy and ginger.  92 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $45 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.adegasvalminor.com

Other Vintages: 2004

Castro Martin is made from estate owned vines in the Valle del Salnés, one of the coolest areas of Rias Brixas.  Most vineyards in Rias Brixas are quite small family holdings with the grapes sold off to the bigger bodegas or as part of Co-Op. While its not unheard of for a bodega to make a wine solely from its own vines, it is seen to be an additional sign of quality within the region.

A light straw colour, with the trademark Castro Martin nose of white peach, jasmine and honeysuckle with some green lemony goodness. One of the things I love about Albariño is the mouth feel, and this doesn't disappoint.  Slightly oily, but with just the right amount of acid to keep you mouth fresh and ready for more.  This bottle is still a little, its showing tangy lemon and apple with a bit of melon.  Fluffy white peach and musk sticks as it warms up a bit more.  A bit of sage and lemons on the finish. 90 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Cost: $30 Closure: Synthetic Cork

Web: www.bodegascastromartin.com

Other Vintages: 2004 2005 

When I had a look at the 2005 of this wine in February, I didn't think much would top it.  But the 06 is something else altogether.  As with many of the other 2006 albariños I've tasted, this is more about the fruit.  If its that minerally element that draws you to albariño, don't worry its still there supporting in a supporting role.

Big wack of white peach, apple and pear with some honey suckle on the nose.  Bit of lemon and spice shows up as the wine gets warmer.  Luxury mouthfeel, well balanced and just the right amount of everything, good length, tangy and complex but fresh.  More white peach and pear on the back palate, with apple up front. As it warms up a touch of ginger and lemon oil with some sweet kaffir lime/orange on the finish.  A flinty, minerally note is shot through the wine, that makes the whole thing that much more interesting.  One of the most intriguing white wines I've had from Spain. Ever.  94 Pts. 

Source: Toro/Woods wines Price: Around $40 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.fefinanes.com

Other Vintages: 2005

Very pale in the glass with aromas of white peaches and lemons with a tropical fruit mix.  A bit more air add some white flower notes.  Smooth, but fleshy with great balance and length.  More tropical fruit on the palate, a bit of melon, pear and lemon with some minerals on the finish.  Good intensity and very pure fruit.  91 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $30 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.adegasvalminor.com

Redardless of all that, the wine is very complex with just about all of the things I like about good Albariño but there is also an oxidative aspect to it.   What makes this wine a bit different is that this wine sees 5 months in French and American oak, a fairly new thing in the world of Albarino.  I'm not sure if I prefer the wood treatment or not yet, I might get another bottle of this with the 2006 standard wine in a couple of weeks to compare.

Light straw in colour with a slight green tint.  Shows aromas of white peach, hints of white pepper with pear and honey suckle.  Not as tight and precise as the standard wine. I'd say broad in the mouth, but thats not quite right, perhaps mouth filling.  But balanced with a good shot of acid right where its needed.  Complex on the palate with white peach, pear, minerals, lemon and some salty capers on the long finish.  91 Pts

Source: Toro/Woods wines Price: Around $50 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.fefinanes.com

Pale straw in colour, the sweet aromatics are on straight away: white peach, musky white flowers, apple blossom, a slight bit of sea spray with a suggestion of lemon.  The first taste immediately has me interested, a luxurious oily texture, flinty, minerally, complexity, great balance and length.  A big hit of flavour: apples, white peach, minerals and flint, and pink musk sticks.  I'd drink this on its own, not to say that it wouldn't be great with food, but its so enjoyable by itself.  92 Pts.

Source: Toro/Woods wines Price: Around $40 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.fefinanes.com