Raúl Pérez

“Albariño should be salty”

The phrase “Albariño should be salty” sounds weird, but it’s true. When I smell a glass of this white from the green northwestern coast of Spain, I expect a hint of sea-spray, among other things. This is an Albariño with tons of character and texture, made by one of Spain’s greatest winemakers. This rocks with anything that comes from the ocean, particularly shellfish.

Greatest winemaker, did you say? Yes. Raúl Pérez has spent the last couple decades revolutionizing Spanish white wine. He’s perhaps best known for being one of the early adopters of underwater aging. His Sketch Albariño starts its life being plunged into the ocean by divers to age in salty, cold ocean depths. Like a prolific musician, his projects have spawned side projects and collaborations. This "Atalier” project is in conjunction with another talented winemaker named Rodrigo Méndez who also works in Galicia.

This bottling of a Cruz das Animas Albariño is a light wine at first glance. There’s a distinctly salty note on the nose, as well as scents of apricot skin and orange blossom. What I love most is the texture, though. There’s a light bitterness and silkiness when you swish this one around your palate. It’s really a wine that begs to be paired with food.

Click here to check the importer’s website if you want to geek out more on this particular wine.