Vionta Albariño 2010

Vionta Albariño 2010 (Rias Biaxas, Spain)
12.5%, Screwcap, $22
Source: Sample
www.vionta.com

This is imported by Wingara, the group behind Katnook and Deakin Estates. Wingara, in turn, is owned by Freixenet, the super Spanish winemakers best known for their eponymous Spanish cava.

A well made, modern sort of wine, this is produced in stainless steel tanks with some 20% left on lees and no malo. Some 20,000 dozen were produced.

As clean, gentle and textural as it is this is ultimately a boring wine, like far too many Albariño that seem to make it to our shores. It doesn’t help that we really should be looking at the 2011 vintage wine, not the 2010, the style definitely not benefiting from bottle age. Yet there is no hiding the fact that, for $22, you can buy an awful lot of interesting McLaren Vale Fiano or Yarra Pinot Grigio or WA Chenin if you’re looking for this sort of wine style.

The redeeming features of this Spanish white is the rounded mid palate, the lees work fattening out the middle and then some light pity acidity finishing things off. It’s quite developed and round and simple but you could argue it is nice and varietal.

Nice and varietal and ultimately soulless. Pass.

Drink: 2012
Score: 15/20 84/100
Would I but it? No.