The Messenger Albarino 2021

green apple, fresh melon, lime parfait, and dried apricot

Albariño is one of the Iberian Peninsula’s most recognizable white varieties, renowned for its high natural acidity and versatility as a seafood pairing. While most examples of this variety hail from Spain’s Galicia region, it is quite popular in northern Portugal as well, particularly in Vinho Verde where it is known as Alvarinho. It is not uncommon to see similar varieties planted in these two regions, as the climate and local cuisine have much in common. This particular example comes from Rob and Kat McDonald, who work with foreign winemakers as well as a selection of their own vineyards to create the Messenger label.

The fruit for this wine is cultivated along the banks of the Minho River, which stretches through Portugal and Galicia and is crucial to local winemaking. Harvested at night to preserve acidity, this wine is fermented in stainless steel without malolactic conversion and bottled ready to drink.