Thin-skinned albarino grape has widening appeal at Lodi wineries
Albarino has found a home in Lodi.
Several Lodi wineries will celebrate the Spanish varietal with the second Lodi Tour of Albarinos, a self-guided tour Aug. 4-6 at Bokisch Vineyards, Dancing Coyote Wines, Estate Crush, Klinker Brick Winery, Mettler Family Vineyards, Oak Farm Vineyards and the Lodi Wine and Visitor Center.
Tickets are not needed. Just show up at any of the participating wineries, taste some great albarino, grab a guide book and continue the tour.
Though albarino’s roots are planted deeply on the Iberian Peninsula, the thin-skinned white grape responds favorably to the Mediterranean climate and sandy soil types of the Lodi American Viticulture Area. The wine is gaining in popularity in these parts, but it still is a minor player overall. According to the 2016 California Grape Crush Final Report, 220.4 tons of albarino were crushed in District 11, which includes Lodi. By comparison, Lodi producers crushed more than 133 million tons of Chardonnay in the same year.
Albarino is a dry, aromatic wine full of tropical and zesty citrus fruit lifted by high acidity. In its best expressions, albarino is lively and bright. But it can be flabby, oily and uninteresting when overly ripe.
"It’s a fun grape,” said Chad Joseph, winemaker for Dancing Coyote and Oak Farm. “Typically, we get more of the lime, bright flavors and the acidity from picking it early. That’s one of the tricks of doing it well here.”
The wine is fermented in stainless steel and does not undergo malolactic fermentation (MLF). Albarino typically ages three to four months in bottle prior to release, and is meant to be consumed young. It’s crisp and clean and a nice alternative to sauvignon blanc.
Albarino hails from the region of Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain. Galicia is known as “Green Spain,” for it receives more rainfall and maritime influence compared to the massive, arid Meseta Central region.
The best known of Galicia’s wines come from Rias Baixas, a single DO (denominaciones de origen) situated close to the Atlantic Ocean. The vineyards along the coast pick up a saline characteristic that makes their albarino a perfect partner with seafood, especially shellfish, such as oysters.
Lodi producers are gaining recognition for albarino: Bokisch Vineyards’ 2016 Clements Hills-Terra Alta Vineyard Albarino ($18) won Best of Class at the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; gold and Best of Class of Region at the 2017 California State Fair Wine Competition; and gold and Best of Class at the 2017 Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition.
Oak Farm Vineyards’ 2016 Lodi Albarino ($24) earned gold and Best of Class of Region at the state fair, while Dancing Coyotes’ 2016 Clarksburg-Sacramento Albarino ($11.99), and Klinker Brick’s 2016 Lodi Albarino ($15) took home silver medals.
The 2016 Oak Farm, Field Theory’s 2015 Lodi Albarino ($19.99), and Harney Lane’s 2015 Mokelumne-Lodi Albarino ($20) each earned a silver medal at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
“I like its clean yet simple, fresh aspect,” Joseph said. “I think Lodi and Clarksburg, where Dancing Coyote comes from, are great, and I don’t think those areas have received the respect they deserve.”