As a wine specialist in Sarasota I love a good glass of chilled wine. With apologies to George and Ira Gershwin, it’s July in Florida and that means heat. Daily bouts of blazing sun and dense humidity. Which is what, if you are a full-time Floridian, you sign up for. So… no complaints. In fact, many thrive on the heat.
But that doesn’t mean that a cool, refreshing glass of wine at the end of the day is out of the question. No siree Bob!
My choice this summer is a lovely white Albariño from the winemaker Nacho Alverez of Bodegas La Caña. Produced in the Rias Baixas region of Spain this vintage demonstrates just how lush and invigorating Albariño can be.
Albariño (Alvarinho in Portugal) is a variety of white wine grape grown in northwest Spain and northwest Portugal. The grape is renowned for offering fresh floral aromas and a lush feel in the mouth with hints of apricot and peach. The wine is generally light-bodied with high levels of acidity and an occasional hint of bitterness on the finish.
This vintage of La Caña Albariño is straw yellow in color, offering delightful flavors of apple, peach and pear that are clean and ripe. This wine provides a dazzlingly lush, yet elegant mouthfeel with plenty of apple, peach and white flowers finishing crisply with just a gentle kiss of oak.
Bodegas La Caña is a boutique winery focused exclusively on quality, terroir and varietal expression. Jorge Ordoñez founded La Caña in 2008, after spending many years promoting and launching the Albariño variety in the United States. He was among the first to export the varietal out of Spain.
La Caña’s vineyards are located in the village of Sisan Ribadumia, north of DO Rías Baixas, in the Valley of Salnés, close to the Atlantic Ocean. The grapes from La Caña come from 40 different single vineyards that total 62 acres in Sisan Ribadumia, with some plots as small as one fifth of an acre. Small plots allow for uniqueness and improved quality control.
The location of La Caña’s vineyards provides benefits from the moderating climactic influences of the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic, despite the fact these vineyards are on the same latitude as Massachusetts, a cold zone. Vineyard soils are made up of sand from decomposed granite and are strongly acidic due to their proximity to the ocean. During the maturation period, sugar and acid levels are measured to determine the best harvest date, and the grapes are hand-harvested at their peak ripeness.
By-and-large Spanish wines remain obscure in the United States. Typically, only wine shops and fine dining restaurants stock them. You probably won’t find one at Publix or Ruby Tuesdays. But don’t lose heart. Area wine retailers and any number of better restaurants do. I found it at Total Wine & More for $17.99.
So whether it be in celebration of Independence Day or just a trip to the beach, take along a nicely chilled bottle of La Caña Albariño. Dig your toes into the sand, take a sip and lift your head to the sun and whisper… Olé!