*Bottle #21: 2006 Fillaboa Albarino Rias Baixas, Spain
*Price: $17
*Running Tab: $277
Got that out of my system... Because of this glorious and eventful, seemingly normal summer day that I was born on, a white wine was plucked from my withering cellar to enjoy in the abnormal heat Seattle has been enduring.
The Albarino (which I manage to mispronounce almost every time - it's spelt EXACTLY like it should come out of your mouth, except you say "n'yo", instead of "no") varietal is a thick-skinned, aromatic Spanish white grape that is often compared to Viogniers and Gewurtztraminer.
As far as Spanish Albarino goes, the grape can generally be found in the government controlled region of Rias Baixas, even more specifically in the town of Cambados - which kind of sounds like a meat you'd find in expensive fajitas.
I can clearheadedly declare this as my favorite white wine to date, in the face of the fact that I've polished off the entire bottle.
The acidity in the nose almost sparks. It's firm acid is far from abrasive but holds its own as a distinctive and flavorful characteristic of the wine. Stick your nose in there and you'll find almonds, peaches and pears with a mention of wood. I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and say it's oak.
The grape's name should come out of your mouth easy but the wine shouldn't. Because you'd like it. The same peaches are on the palate, with a nice acidity complimenting my above comments and a solid existence of heat from the 12.5% alcohol as it goes down. The finishing mouthfeel is nutty, screaming almonds all the way through. The medium-bodied, slightly sweet smelling wine is smooth and well-built for a full 60-second ride through this Spanish delicacy.
This is what the Spaniards call "delicioso." I'm so bilingual on my birthday-almost.
Score: 9.
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