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“Albariño is so aromatic,” winemaker Adam LaZarre said, “and it’s got such great acidity and structure. To
me it’s the ultimate seafood wine.”
Making Albariño is the continuation of a long affair between LaZarre and Spanish grapes, one that will
continue in the future. “Spanish wines are so versatile, so unlike anything else coming from anywhere in the
world,” he said. “There’s nothing like Albariño or Verdejo or even Tempranillo anywhere else. And the first
time I tasted Mencía from Bierzo, the heavens opened up and the angels played trumpets.”
It’s no surprise, then, that LaZarre is bringing in some Mencía vines from Castilla y Leon this year. He and
other Spanish-wine-loving vintners in the US are determined to get more varieties to these shores. Garnacha
already is prevalent, although most of the cuttings in the US came from France.
“We’re going to see more of these Spanish grapes,” LaZarre said, “and in very short order people will find
out where they can grow best.”
Figure 52: Grapevine cuttings
