Great Northwest Wine: Spanish white albariño thrives in the Pacific Northwest

In the early days of the Washington wine industry, wine experts in California believed that the Evergreen State was too far north to make serious red wines. Indeed, the state’s early fame came with white wines, particularly riesling and gewürztraminer.

Until recently, Washington winemakers and grape growers didn’t give much thought to albariño, a racy white grape from Europe’s Iberian Peninsula. The variety’s bright and fruity approach makes it a delicious fit for the Pacific Northwest, not only as a growing region, but also with our regional cuisine.

In terms of style, the Spanish white often can slot alongside examples of racy riesling or scintillating sauvignon blanc. New Mexico-based Tim Gaiser, one of the first Master Sommeliers in the United States, describes classic examples of albariño as offering “a viognier nose and a riesling palate.”

And while some of Washington’s earliest examples of albariño were a bit off-dry, it is rare now to find them carrying any residual sugar.

Earl Jones of Abacela in Roseburg, Oregon, has been the driving force on the West Coast for albariño. From the start, the albariño he’s produced from his Fault Line Vineyards in the Umpqua Valley is imbued with pinpoint flavors of bright orchard and tropical fruit backed by a refreshing burst of lime.

It was a natural fit considering Jones’s pioneering work with tempranillo. Now more than 11 acres of vineyard at Abacela are dedicated to albariño, eclipsing all other varieties other than his tempranillo plantings. The 2001 vintage marked Abacela’s debut bottling of albariño, which also was the first in the Pacific Northwest.

In Washington, Horse Heaven Hills rancher-turned-grower Mike Andrews is viewed as the first in the state to plant and produce albariño, and his inaugural effort from the 2009 vintage earned gold medals for his Coyote Canyon Winery in Prosser.

One of Washington’s most decorated winemakers, Wade Wolfe of Thurston Wolfe Winery in Prosser has been producing albariño for the better part of a decade. He loves working with the grape from nearby Crawford Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, adding that it presents few problems in the field or cellar.

Victor Palencia, who now operates two tasting rooms in the Tri-Cities, has made albariño for years with flair. He notes that the Spanish white ages well, just as riesling does, keyed by natural acidity. He pulls his albariño from the cooler Ancient Lakes region in the Columbia Basin near Quincy.

Albariño is a versatile food wine thanks to that bright acidity and lower alcohol. It pairs with seafood, including grilled salmon or halibut, as well as pasta in a white sauce, crab cakes, shellfish, casseroles and other dishes. It works particularly well with Asian, Latin and Indian cuisine that’s thankfully now prevalent in the Pacific Northwest.

Look for these examples of albariño at your favorite wine merchant, or contact the winery directly.

Abacela 2018 Estate Albariño, Umpqua Valley, $21: Enchanting aromas of orange blossoms, peach and Key lime lead into flavors that burst with citrus alongside honeydew melon and papaya. Enjoy it with a bowl of clams, lemon wedges and crusty bread or a plate of Manchego cheese, quince paste and crackers.

Coyote Canyon Winery 2018 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Estate Albariño, Horse Heaven Hills, $28: Justin Michaud ferments this wine in concrete, which is apparent from the wonderful minerality on the nose. It’s accompanied by tropical citrus notes and florals. The palate stays fresh and zippy with a fruit-forward finish, and it’s become one of the most popular wines sold by owner Mike Andrews.

Barnard Griffin Winery 2018 Albariño, Columbia Valley, $20: A classic example produced by the father-daughter winemaking team of Rob Griffin and Megan Hughes, this is loaded with flavors of tropical and ripe orchard fruits. A sparkling version of albariño is available in the winery’s restaurant in Richland.

Schmidt Family Vineyards 2018 Reserve Albariño, Applegate Valley, $24: This multi-generation vineyard-winery-restaurant operation south of Grants Pass, Oregon, offers an albariño that brings a peachy, sweet-spiced nose with citrus and a stony minerality. The palate gushes with lemon, leading with a vibrant finish that seemingly never ends.

Palencia Wine Co. 2018 Albariño, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley, $25: Victor Palencia calls his premium tier wines “El Viñador,” and this 2018 albariño lives up to his faith in this Spanish white grape. It shows off the highly aromatic fruit of the Ancient Lakes in its nose of lime, pink grapefruit and citrus zest. On the palate, the lime dominates, with a hint of Asian pear and brilliantly crisp acidity. Drink it with a seafood salad featuring grilled shrimp, octopus and scallops.

Thurston Wolfe 2018 Crawford Vineyard Albariño, Yakima Valley, $18: Another classic from a cooler portion of the Yakima Valley, this reveals aromas and flavors of lime zest, crisp apple and a hint of pear all backed by delicious tanginess. It was voted as the best white wine of the 2019 Washington State Wine Competition.

Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman operate Great Northwest Wine. Learn more about wine at greatnorthwestwine.com.