2024 Bouza Albarino

Variety: 100% Albarino
Region: Las Violetas, Canelones, Melila, Monvevideo — Uruguay
Cost: $28 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Pale yellow color. Intense aroma of white flowers, citrus fruits, apple, and pears with spicy notes. Mouth with refreshing acidity, round, with medium volume. Very long finish, reminiscent of the initial fruit.

My Review: I’ve been sitting on this bottle for too long. This bottle and five others were part of a virtual tasting that I just wasn’t able to attend (unfortunately; thanks, work schedule). That wasn’t, however, going to stop me from tasting them and sharing my thoughts.

In the glass the wine was a pale yellow color; nearly clear at first glance with slashes of green when held up to the light. On the nose I got aromas of apple, white peach (my wife just said “stonefruit”), and a bit of spice. In the mouth, the wine had a good roundness up front, balanced by acidity that gave the wine some brightness without being so acidic that it made my teeth hurt, a result of the lime and clay soil the grapes were grown in if I had to guess.

I got flavors of white flowers, apple, and citrus (mostly lime), all of which paired well with, and provided a counter to, the chicken gyros my wife and I made to go with the wine. The balanced acidity and bright flavors provided a great counter note to the herby flavors we put into the chicken, while also complimenting the toppings (pickled red onion, tzatziki sauce, and feta) that provided a bit of bite, acid, and salinity.

I really liked this wine, and it was great to sip on while we were cooking dinner as well as pairing great with the meal. When you can find a wine like that, it’s worth grabbing more than a few bottles.

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