The next Great White Grape?

Albariño. It's easy to grow and full of racy acidity, and there's a lot of love for it among consumers. It's no wonder this Galician super-grape is making converts of winemakers the world over

- STORY KATHLEEN WILLCOX WINE SELECTION KATHLEEN WILLCOX & JULIE SHEPPARD (DECANTER REGIONAL EDITOR)

The greatest grapes, like the most influential leaders, will only achieve widespread adulation if they can perform under a diverse range of conditions. Ideally, they should possess characteristics that appeal to experienced enthusiasts and neophytes alike. There's a reason why Chardonnay, for instance, is the most-planted white grape variety in the world (other than Spain's Airén, which is used in brandy production). Depending on how and where it's grown, it can be profound, rich and ageworthy, or fun, bright and ready-to-drink.

Albariño, while hardly threatening to usurp Chardonnay's crown as king of white grapes, is gaining acclaim across the world, for many of the same reasons. The ancient grape (known as Alvarinho in Portugal) came to prominence on the Iberian peninsula. For centuries, it has dominated plantings in Rías Baixas, in northwestern Spain, and Vinho Verde in Portugal's far north.

But now Albariño's dominion is expanding, as winemakers across the globe embrace its versatility. Albariño's litheness in the vineyard is mirrored in the cellar, with expressions ranging from complex and elegant to fun and zippy, depending on when and how the fresh, fruit-forward grape is harvested, fermented and aged.

California

Albariño plantings have been on the rise for years in California. According to the most recent annual report from the US Department of Agriculture, in 2024 there were 280ha under vine. This is up from 124ha in 2015 - an increase of 126%. It thrives particularly well in Lodi, which produced 33% of the state's total last year, according to the Lodi Winegrape Commission.