Albarino from the Spanish area of Rias Baixas in the region of Galicia is one of the most distinctive white wines in the world. The climate is rainy and cool, making for verdant landscapes and rolling hills that more closely resemble northern Europe than Andalusia. The most famous wine of this area is a piquant white made from 100% Albariño where high acid is the corollary of a cool growing season and ageing in stainless steel rather than oak preserves the fruit flavors of the Albariño grape.
I was just sent a bottle of Albariño by a producer I have drunk many times. The 2012 Martin Codax Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain is clear with a straw color. It has a minerally nose with notes of green apples. The acid level is medium. The flavors have more fruit than expected ( mainly meyer lemon). There is a good fruit-acid balance and a short finish.
The acid level is lower than expected for this wine type, which I take to be the result of deliberate, skilled, vinification. This will broaden the audience for this reasonably-priced wine (SRP $15). I am going to strongly recommend this with leftover Thanksgiving turkey or over the holidays. It should be widely available (Costco used to be a major stockist).