Paco & Lola Albarino – A Love Story

100% Albarino from Rias Baixas, Spain.

SRP of $20 and available for as low as $12. Sample submitted for review.

From the bottle:

“Variety: 100% Albariño sourced from the winery’s own vineyards.

Fermentation: fermented in stainless steel vats, with temperature controlled.

Appearance: attractive straw color with hints of green in the rim. Clean and brilliant.

Nose: very expressive and harmonious nose. Fine notes of white fruit (green apples, pear) and lemony aromas. Hints of herbs (basil) and flower blossom base notes. Surprising aromatic intensity.

Palate: Fresh with good structure and the same fruit characters as found on the nose. Slightly balsamic finish.

Paco & Lola make a Divine Duo with sushi, pastas, fish, rice dishes, white meats, seafood, fish and shellfish stews.

12.5% Alcohol”

Here at The Reverse Wine Snob we’re not afraid to admit that we have a bit of a love affair with Albarino. And why not? As we detailed in this post, Albarino is made for summertime sipping on the patio.

The best spot in the world for Albarino is Rias Baixas (ree-ahs-buy-shuss) where it accounts for 90% of the grapes grown. Today’s producer, Paco & Lola, is the third largest in the region and by itself accounts for 8% of the Albarino production in Rias Baixas.

The 2013 Paco & Lola Albarino begins with very pleasant notes of pear, peach, apple, a little tropical fruit and light floral and herbal notes. The wine tastes really delicious with refreshing tangy citrus and tropical fruit. It also has good acidity, a lively and silky texture and excellent touches of sea salt minerality. It ends with good length, lemon and more sea salt minerality. This is a major quaffer that still has pretty good complexity — we’re in love!

Want to find more wines like this? Check out some of our other favorites from Rias Baixas:

• Salneval Albarino 2010 – An Albarino A Day Keeps The Heat At Bay
• Bodegas Fillaboa Albarino Rias Baixas 2010 – Albarino Is Good Vino
• Licia Rias Baixas Albarino 2010 – A Summer Staple
• Valminor Albarino 2010 – Fresh, Smooth and Satisfying
• Lastly, you can also find a pretty good Albarino in California: Bonny Doon Vineyard Central Coast Albarino 2011 – Silky, Salty and Seductive. A study in salinity.

Ready to buy? See a listing of local retailers.