If you’ve been watching the temperatures in Spain climb into the high 30Cs in recent weeks, you might assume the whole country is hot and dry, but that’s far from the case in Rias Baixas on the Galician coast. Part of the cool, often rainy area that is known as “green Spain”, the region is also home to the green albariño grape, which you’ll find on almost every self-respecting wine list these days. Pure, mineral and saline, as befits its proximity to the sea, albariño has become so popular, it is now the go-to white to drink with seafood.
Yields are low and demand insatiable, however, so prices are now on the high side. Even supermarket own-label isn’t cheap, unless it’s on promotion. Morrisons The Best Albarino, for example, is currently £12, though that is still less expensive than chablis, admittedly (if you haven’t come across albariño before and want to place it, that might be a useful comparison).
