Getty Images
Known as Albariño in Spain and Alvarinho in Portugal, this white wine grape has an increasingly global profile. Grown from Uruguay and Japan to California, Albariño (the name commonly used abroad) produces aromatic, dry white wines with fresh, often saline flavors.
An ancient grape, Albariño originated along the Iberian Peninsula. Today, it grows throughout the Vinho Verde region in Portugal, where it’s used in varietal wines and the easy-drinking blends with which it shares a name.
Albariño also thrives across the Spanish border in Rías Baixas, a noncontiguous wine region in Galicia. Rías Baixas has a long history of Albariño production, though internationally available varieties are a recent phenomenon.
