Panel tasting: Albariño versus Alvarinho

One grape variety, two countries; but what’s the difference? We tasted 83 of the terroir-led whites from Spain and Portugal, and found that it’s all to do with the granite and the climate

One grape, two faces – and a multitude of delicious expressions

Albariño is a seasoned traveller. Recently licensed in Bordeaux, you’ll also find it in Uruguay, New Zealand, California and southern France. Yet nowhere does it better than the northwest of the

Iberian peninsula, where it’s an ancient variety.

For this Iberian showdown, the Spanish entries came, with two exceptions, from Rías Baixas, predominantly from the Salnés sub-zone. The Portuguese samples came almost exclusively from the top-quality Vinho Verde sub-zone of Monçāo e Melgaço, with a notable exception from the Douro.

This is a variety that loves the granite of both regions. The tasting confirmed its adaptability to terroir, with clear differences in style. It is very sensitive to climate, whether the humid, maritime Rías Baixas, or the higher altitude and more continental character of Monçāo e Melgaço.

Highlighting these differences, Beth Willard commented that Alvarinho sees more differences in quality between the entry-level wines and the top ones, while Albariño is in general more consistent. Specialist importer Nick Oakley, who works in both countries, notes that this consistency is Albariño’s great selling point.

Over the river Minho in northern Portugal, Alvarinho (along with Loureiro) plays a starring role in dry, still Vinho Verde (traditionally a spritzy varietal blend). Produced in nine different sub-zones, until this year only 100% Alvarinho from the sub-zone of Monçāo e Melgaço enjoyed Vinho Verde DOC status.

Others were labelled Vinho Regional Minho (VR Minho shares the same boundaries as DOC Vinho Verde, but the regulations for the DOC are stricter). From 2021, 100% singlevarietal Alvarinho from any sub-zone can declare DOC on the label.

Albariño showed its typical stone fruit character, with richness, ripe citrus, and white flower aromatics. Sarah Ahmed also found a briny, maritime note, like ‘pickled jalapeño water’. Many wines declared four to 24 months of ageing on lees, which built a successful complexity. Willard, though, was discouraged to observe the effects of Albariño’s popularity: ‘Everyone is rushing wines out – these 2020s have distinct primary tropical fruit. They are missing out on the complexity that an extra year gives, and it has damaged the category.’

Certainly, though, the best Albariños age beautifully – it is well worth seeking them out. Ahmed agreed: ‘I have tasted Alvarinhos that have been 10 to 20 years old, and they have aged really well.’

The Alvarinhos here distinguished themselves by their power and structure. Soalheiro’s Granit (see right) was a textbook example of ‘continental’ Alvarinho grown on poor granite soils at 350m: less aromatic, less rounded, more linear and mineral.

Historically, Alvarinho was said to have lower alcohol than Albariño, but today there is little difference. Overall, one factor was clear. As Ahmed concluded, whether

Albariño or Alvarinho: ‘This tasting showed that it is a noble variety.’