2023 Bodega Garzon Albarino

Variety: 100% Albarino
Region: Garzon, Uruguay
Cost: $35 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Straw gold in color, this Albarino is fresh and vibrant and presents tropical fruits with subtle floral notes in the nose. In the mouth, it expresses a round and fresh body, with saline and mineral rich undertones, which make it a wine with a marked sense of terroir.

My Review: Getting back into writing with a bang. This one was something else, and was easily my favorite thing I drank in the last month. It was complex without being pretentious, and the flavors were perfect as the weather starts to warm up here in North Carolina. Let’s dive in.

In the glass the wine was a nice straw color; just a hint of green showed through when the light caught it just right. On the nose I got tropical and floral notes; white flowers and peach most notably. As the wine opened up, a roundness to the aroma opened up as well. The aromas went from crisp and refreshing to luscious and welcoming without losing their character.

In the mouth the Bodega Garzno Albarino was refreshing, with a subtle roundness that came out more as the wine opened up. I got flavors of wet stone, saline, and mineral at first, but as the wine continued to open lime notes were more noticeable as well. The acidity on this was perfectly balanced. It was present, but soft.

My wife and I paired this wine a shrimp risotto, and it was a great pairing. The saline and tropical notes were a good counter to the richness of the risotto while complimenting the shrimp. And subtle acidity was also a great counter to the creaminess of the dish. I think the only better pairing would have been some fresh oysters.

I liked this wine a lot, and at $35 it feels like a steal to be honest. If you’re looking for that summer wine to go with seafood or just to sip on the patio on a hot day, you’d do well to look for a bottle. They’re doing something special down in Uruguay, and the 2023 Bodega Garzon Albarino is a good example of it.

Disclosure: I received this wine as a free sample for review.