There are at least four wineries in the Napa Valley and Carneros that are making an Albariño wine. Could this be the beginning of a hot new wine in California? Albariño is a Spanish grape found in the area of Spain known as Galicia, in the wine region of Rias Baixes. The grape needs a cool and damp environment to thrive.
Here in the Napa Valley and Carneros the Albariño grape is grown only in the cool climate of the Carneros region and on Hendry Ranch. Both of these wine areas are in close proximity to the San Pablo Bay. The winds from the Bay provide cooling temperatures to both these areas during most of the growing season. The wineries that produce an Albariño in the Napa Valley and Carneros are Hendry Winery, Havens Vineyards, Mahoney Vineyards, and Artesa. An Albariño wine is a refreshing wine with lemony characteristics and good acidity. In Spain, this wine is very popular with all types of seafood. A huge amount of Spanish Albariño is exported to the U.S where the demand is increasing annually.
