Unless you have your own clairvoyant groundhog, it's hard to know these days whether to fire up the grill or the crock pot for dinner. Equally difficult is the task of deciding which wine to pair with whatever kind of night we get. I keep thinking that maybe if I keep bringing home the heftier reds — California zinfandels, Haut-Médocs, Priorats — that mother nature will get the idea and actually give us some winter. Mother doesn't pick up on the subtlety so well all the time so my palate still seeks some lighter wines.

By far, my favorite not-just-in-summer white wine is albariño. Albariño is, in contrast to almost any other Spanish wine, referred to by its grape name rather than its region and is often ridiculed by other wines because of it. But all that bullying only helps put hair on albariño's chest. Hair, in winespeak, meaning well-balanced flavors and aromas. Its nose has a bit of citrus, some vanilla and sometimes a touch of jasmine or honeysuckle. Once it reaches your palate, the albariño opens up with even more vanilla, some nice almond notes and some spice — sometimes even a little ginger — and is both crisp and creamy at once, like a cannoli. Grill up some shrimp or throw together a potato stew... either way, the albariño will treat you right. So there, mother nature.

2004 Pazo San Mauro $19.95
This albariño is the crisper of the two and overall seems a bit more assertive. There are more lemon & grapefruit notes present, though the vanilla still balances out the acidity quite well.

2005 Margadío $17.95
This is the elegant, deep sibling of the Pazo San Mauro. A little more balance between the crispness & the creaminess and just the silkiest mouthfeel ever. Also a better conversationalist.

2005 Lícia $13.95
The younger cousin is a bit louder, a bit more aggressive, but also sweeter than the other two. She will charm you with the sugar and impress you with the sassy citrus. A good companion at a dinner party.

Labels: albarino, spanish, whites