Winemaker Notes
A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes orange blossom, fresh and dried stone fruits, confit of meyer lemon. On the palate, weighty and lifted all at once, with a startling confluence of mineral, savory and fruit flavors. Juicy tangerine and Meyer lemon lead to a savory, floral mid palate, finishing with dusty mineral and a pronounced salinity, no doubt owing to its seaside provenance.
Atlántida Blanco’s combination of racy acidity and minerality with breadth and weight on the palate make it a beautiful match with richer seafood and poultry dishes. Grilled mackerel with olives and fresh herbs, or roasted oysters would be perfect pairs.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Atlántida Blanco is pure Vijeriego Blanco, the same as Vijariego Blanco in the Canary Islands (sometimes also known as Vijiriego!), first produced in 2016. It has some aromatic similarities with the Vara y Pulgar Blanco, with an interesting variety, with more acidity than Palomino, more expressive aromatically and with aging potential. This fermented with indigenous yeasts and without temperature control in 228- and 600-liter oak barrels, where it matured for 18 months. Rating: 93+
White grapes are used in two famous types of Spanish wine, Sherry and Cava, but we will limit this discussion to still whites. Let’s begin with perhaps the best known and most highly regarded internationally, Albariño . Produced in the region of Rías Baixas, just above Portugal in northwestern Spain, Albariño typically sees no or little oak and is medium to medium-plus in body. Aroma and flavor notes often include citrus and peach, often with subtle floral notes and a suggestion of sea spray, giving the wine a zesty feel. Often bottled as a single varietal, Albariño is sometimes blended with other indigenous grapes like Loureira and Treixadura. Try one of these Spanish whites from Forjas del Salnes.
Let’s look at a few other Spanish white wines. Godello also hails from northwestern Spain and presents a profile of grapefruit, minerality and a slight smoky quality. Enjoy a bottle from Bodegas Avancia. The region of Rueda, northwest of Madrid, is home to Verdejo , which makes refreshing, un-oaked white wines whose herbal vibrancy recalls Sauvignon Blanc . Protos makes a tasty version. Up north in the Basque region, we find the wine called Txakoli (sometimes called Txakolina). Pronounced “sha-ko-LEE,” it’s made from a local grape called Hondurrabi Zuri and is light, fresh, citrusy, dry … and with razor sharp acidity that makes it a fantastic partner with local seafood and tapas. Ameztoi Gertariako is a good Spanish white wine producer to check out.
The Penedѐs region, best known for the oceans of delicious Cava it sends to the world, also produces still Spanish whites, sometimes from international varieties like Chardonnay , and often from the same grapes used for Cava. These include Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo. Avaline produces a fine example of Penedes white. Finally, we visit the Rioja region. While it is historically and internationally famous for its reds, Rioja also produces fine Spanish white wines. These are usually based on Viura (the local name for Macabeo) and make good everyday sippers, although some aged versions can be stunningly complex. A good place to start is the white Rioja from Bodegas Muga.
As you can see, Spanish white wines offer a vast opportunity for exploration!