Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc and all you other typical white-wine grapes, it's time to step aside. There's a new grape in town...
...Albariño!
Okay, well maybe it's not brand-new, but it is to me, and to happy hour in Arlington as far as I can tell! It's classic enough to not be trendy but with a slight twist. Great reputation and a significant following... unique, fresh, clean and just makes me happy. Could this be the Zac Posen of grapes?!
Typically, I'm the type of person that after consuming two glasses of white wine will be bed-ridden for a week, swearing off all alcohol for the rest of my life, but I may have found the one white grape I can tolerate (and it's refreshing and tastes great)!
My ritual when trying a new wine is take a little whiff of the scent and then close my eyes and take a sip and see what comes to mind.
With this wine, I could imagine I was in Spain, touring a vineyard on a warm day, sipping a glass under the shade of an olive tree...Yes, I have a vivid imagination. But that's what makes life fun when you don't have a private plane that can whisk you off to Spain at any moment. Entiendes?
Arlington Happy Hour, Neighborhood: La Tasca, Clarendon
Specs: Mon through Fri 5-8pm
The Wine: Adegas Gran Venum, Nessa Albariño
Varietal, Region: Albariño, Rias Biaxas, Spain
Price: $7/glass
My Tasting Notes: The perfect white. Balanced and crisp, notes of citrus and a mineral taste, but well balanced and not too mineraly (is that a word? If not, it is now)!
My Verdict: One large glass of this is the perfect amount (look mom, no headache) ! If you're usually a red or rose drinker but need a change, this is the one for you. Enjoy with or without food, but if you have a glass at La Tasca, I'd suggest trying it with the pork empanadas ($5 at happy hour)!
About the grape: Albariño is a grape from the Rias Baixas region of Spain, and is thought to have been brought over by French monks! Read more here.
Salud!
*Any potentially incorrect tenses/uses of Spanish can be blamed on my high school Spanish teacher who was too busy reprimanding me for wearing spaghetti-strap tanktops to help me master the language (but no hard feelings). :-)
