♦ 2013 Albariño ♦

Vineyard: Bokisch Vineyard
Appellation: Clements Hills – San Joaquin County
Wine: 100% Albariño
Alcohol: 12.5%
Production: 180 cases
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Albariño is a late ripening, moderately cool to warm climate variety originally found in northeastern Spain (Galicia) and northern Portugal (where it is called Alvarinho). Though fairly vigorous, its bunches yield a small amount of juice because of the number of seeds in the berries. The fruit is hardy, with thick skin, a key contributor to its intense fragrance.

Bokisch Vineyards is located in the Sacramento Valley in the Clements & Lockeford area of the Highway 88 corridor. Markus Bokisch is of Spanish heritage and grows a number of Spanish varieties in his vineyards, and was instrumental in introducing Albariño to California viticulture. This is rare situation where someone is growing varieties appropriate for California’s central valley rather than trying to stick Cabernet or even Chardonnay in a region with a hot climate. Albariño is known for maintaining great acidity, even in very hot weather.

This wine is wonderfully minerally, crisp, and aromatic. The thick skins of this grape result in a wine that has a lot of fruit and flower esters in both the taste and aroma. The aromatic and flavor components include white peach, citrus peel and almond.

This is a white wine that can stand up to the heartier end of the white wine foods list, and can perhaps even age a few years without a problem.