Spanish grapes to discover (part 1)

We all know chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and verdejo, but how about airèn, albarin or macabeo?

Airén is even the number 3 of the world’s top 10 grown grapes. But I bet you had never heard of it, right? Probably because it is mostly used to produce brandy. But still...

Spain is home to many grape varieties and wine regions. Too many to mention all in one blog post. So today we’ll stick to two typically Spanish white grapes that we have discovered since opening our bar: albarin and macabeo.

Albarin (not to be confused with albariño)

One of the first wines we selected for the bar is Ocean Albarin. This white wine is made from 100% albarin, — or albarin blanco —, a rare light-skinned grape from the northwest of Spain (specifically the regions Castilla y Leon, Asturias and Galicia).

Although almost similar in name, there is a genetic difference with the better-known albariño grape. Therefore one of albarin’s synonyms is blanco legítimo (‘legitimate white’).

Tasting notes of albarin often include references to ripe limes, lychee, mint, fig and orange. Of course the aromas you can detect depend on the winemaker and the vinification process. For example our Ocean Albarin has a typical aroma of ripe banana. Try it sometime and see if you can smell or taste it!

Macabeo (or viura)

First of all macabeo does not only grow in

Spain, but also in France (Roussillon). It is only that we encountered macabeo for the first time in our Lluminaria, a nice and easy drinkable dry white wine from the region Utiel Requena (in Valencia) with a refreshing sensation and a long nice aftertaste. We noticed that most people who normally prefer a Sauvignon Blanc, really appreciate the Lluminaria.

Interesting fact: macabeo is called viura if it comes from the Rioja or Rueda — probably the most well known wine regions of Spain —.

Another interesting fact is that it is one of the 3 most used grape varieties in the production of Cava and other sparkling wines.

All right, so far, so good. We would love to hear about your favorite wines from those Spanish grapes! Do share them in our Facebook group. And let’s do some tastings soon!