- Silverstone's previous recommendations

Vionta Albarino 2003

First Best of the White Bunch

Monks! Bless ‘em, they’ve done us proud. Over the years they’ve got themselves into some pretty good habits which have benefitted the world of wine. During their pilgrimages around the world the monks would cart along some grape vines. Well before American Express adopted the campaign, Monks would chant joyously: “Grape Vines...don’t leave home without them”. So they put down roots along their sandaled trek, as it were, all over creation.

Anyway, due to all this monking about, we now have the Albarino grape, which is almost certainly a distant relative of the Riesling from Germany’s Mosel region, where many monks began their adventures. All I can say is thank goodness they

didn’t set out from Bayonne, New Jersey or we’d have Turnpike exits everywhere. On the other hand maybe they did...but I digress...So where was I? Oh yes. Monks.

So in Galicia, in the northwest part of Spain, this white grape called the Albarino, thrives, thanks to the brilliant foresight of German monks about 500 years ago.

Vionta is a winery which happily isn’t living in the Middle Ages. It’s approach to this particular grape is refreshing. The juice is fermented in stainless steel which keeps the natural flavors freshly in tact. Not the merest hint of wood in this wine, it’s simply as natural as nature intended. The

Albarino has a familiar characteristic of so many wine importers I know: it’s thick skinned. This is valuable in a climate where it tends to rain frequently, so as far as this grape variety is concerned it’s merely water off a duck’s back.

The wine is fresh, zesty and citrusy. It has a gorgeous acidity with a variety of breakfast fruit flavors and a sumptuously smooth lingering taste. The kind of wine you’d be proud to take back home and share with your chums in the monastery. And that’s a good habit to get into.

Cheers!

REGION Galicia, Spain

PRICE (approx) 18.99

- Silverstone's previous recommendations