The Veiga Naum Albariño 2016 is 100% Albariño grown in the Salnés Valley of the Rias Baixas DO located in the Galicia region of northwest Spain. The Rias Baixas DO is just over Spain’s northern border with Portugal and along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Veiga Naum is produced by Bodegas Riojanas, founded in 1890, though the family behind the winery has another century of experience in winemaking. 99% of all wine produced in Rias Baixas is White wine and 96% of all the grapes planted are Albariño and Albariño has grown in Rias Baixas for 900 years. This Albariño was fermented and aged in smaller stainless steel tanks and the alcohol content is 12.4%.
The color is a clear, pale golden-yellow, with a lime green tint. The nose is fresh and alive, flowers in full bloom, peach, lemon, ripe pear, apple, melon, and dried pineapple. This wine has a firm mouthfeel, with nicely complex flavors. It tastes of a stew of tart apple, Anjou pear, lime, and grapefruit. The mid-palate offers a touch of cream, lemon, a salty sensation, and melon. The acidity is very well-balanced, this is a food wine, but it sips well. The finish is full and long.
The Veiga Naum Albariño 2016 is summer in a bottle, but it isn’t a light and frilly little trifle, it has some oomph behind it, some weight. If your White wine drinking experience consists of a rotation of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio/Gris and maybe Riesling, you should seriously consider adding Albariño to the mix. It is a world-class White wine.
