Albarino in Australia

and a list of producers

This is an entry in my forthcoming Beyond Shiraz book. You can help me by leaving a comment or food suggestion, anonymously if you like.

Synonyms: Alvarinho in Portugal.
White, Origin: NE Portugal or perhaps in adjacent Galicia, Spain, Rank 106, Australian Producers 44. Aromas and Flavours: Peaches, apricots, apples, lemon and grapefruit.

Albarino makes fresh crisp whites in Northern Portugal and in the adjacent Spanish region of Galicia, especially in the Rias Baixas DO. In both of these regions it is used to make varietal wines, but in Portugal, it is also commonly blended with other varieties, most notably Loureiro, to make Vinho Verde.

From the turn of the twenty-first century, Albarino has become fashionable in other wine regions, e.g., in California, Oregon and Washington State, and in New Zealand. At this time an attempt was made to introduce Albarino into Australia. A significant number of wineries planted vines from a supposedly reputable source in the belief they were Albarino. However, in 2009, doubts about the true identity of these vines were confirmed—the variety was actually Savagnin. Many growers persisted with Savagnin as they had already proved it makes excellent wine.

Shortly after this varietal mix up was discovered, many Australian wineries began planting ‘true’ Albarino. Although its origin is in the cooler parts of the Iberian Peninsula, the variety has proved to be successful in warmer areas of Australia such as the Barossa and Rutherglen.

Food Choices: Try Albarino with the Portuguese dish Arroz de Mariscos is a dish of garlicky rice with seafood (prawns, clams, mussels). ~ DH

Albarino Producers in Australia

• Anderson and Marsh Alpine Valleys

• Artwine Adelaide Hills

• Banca Ridge Granite Belt

• Bassham Wines Riverland

• Bay of Shoals Kangaroo Island

• Bike and Barrel Alpine Valleys

• Billy Button Alpine Valleys

• Briar Ridge Vineyard Hunter Valley

• Brown Brothers King Valley

• Cavedon Wines King Valley

• Centennial Vineyards Southern Highlands

• Cirami Estate Riverland

• Craft vs Science Barossa Valley

• Dalfarras Nagambie Lakes

• Deep Woods Estate Margaret River

• Dewey Station Barossa Valley

• Fetherston Yarra Valley

• Gemtree Vineyards McLaren Vale

• La Cantina King Valley

• Mallee Estate Riverland

• Margan Family Hunter Valley

• Merindoc Heathcote

• Montague Wines Margaret River

• Moppity Vineyards (and Cato) Hilltops

• Mount Majura Canberra

• Nepenthe Adelaide Hills

• Obsession Wines Tumbarumba

• Orbis McLaren Vale

• Pikes Clare Valley

• Ravenscroft Wines Granite Belt

• Ricca Terra Riverland

• Ridgemill Estate Granite Belt

• Robert Channon Granite Belt

• Sittella Swan Valley

• Somos McLaren Vale

• Stanton and Killeen Wines Rutherglen

• Summit Estate Granite Belt

• Symphony Hill Wines Granite Belt

• Tscharke Barossa Valley

• View Wine Granite Belt

• Weathercraft Beechworth

• Wines By Farquhar Barossa Valley

• Word of Mouth Wines Orange

• Year Wines Mudgee

• Yeates Mudgee

Do you know of any more? Message me.