Bodegas Nora Rias Biaxes Albarino 2005

The 2005 Nora Albarino is classic Albarino: highly aromatic, deep, and dry. However, set in a balanced, medium body, the 2005 Nora is perhaps the friendliest, most flamboyant Albarino wine we have ever tasted. An enchanting bouquet of peach, pear, and dried exotic fruits tantalizes the nose. And on the palate, this wine offers an even sharper image of Albarino, offering up a beautiful taste of exotic fruit, followed by a long, deep down mid palate that bursts with citrus and minerals. Finally, the wine's refreshing finish cleanses the palate with a burst of flavor that incorporates everything that is good about Albarino, and does it all within a silky framework. We suggest giving the 2005 Nora a moderate chill (40°-45° F) for optimal enjoyment.

Albarino is Spain's most expensive and formidable white wine, but it is rarely a wine to sit around and sip. Albarino is crafted expressly to accompany the great seafood platters and highly charged specialties in the Galician diet. The friendly, flamboyant 2005 Nora is a notable exception to the rule, to which the tasting panel will readily attest. We have ravaged more than a few bottles of the lovely Nora, without as much as a morsel to eat. However, we must confess to our sin and admit that the 2005 Nora Albarino is best served with fresh seafood or deftly prepared fusion cuisine. Expertly prepared Calamari, lightly sautéed or fried in a tempura like batter; Sautéed scallops; Spicy Crabmeat Salad; Lettuce Wraps, full of chicken or pork and Thai spices all provide interesting and appealing accompaniments to the Nora. Vietnamese Spring Rolls offer another fine accompaniment. Actually, we have found that many typically difficult to pair foods, such as asparagus, pair delightfully with the 2005 Nora, too, so feel free to experiment and enjoy!

Bodegas Nora is a small 48-acre jewel of an estate that specializes in the prized Albarino grape, Spain's most exciting and expensive white varietal. Nora is one of two Albarino wines from this sequestered estate; at Nora no lesser varietals need apply. Nora is a wine that springs from the banks of the Miño River, Galicia's mighty waterway, which flows swiftly on the last leg of its journey through the mountains of northern Spain to the Atlantic Ocean. This is the real Galicia, a handsome rugged country that is known for its fine food as well as its wine. Bodegas Nora is owned by Javier Alen, the well respected Galician producer of Vina Mein (Ribeiro's best producer) and Victor Rodriguez, the former director of Vino y Gastronomia (the most respected wine and food magazine in Spain). The estate's vineyards are surrounded by pine and eucalyptus forests as well as the ruins of ancient Celtic castles – all within sight of nearby Portugal. Close at hand is the historic village of Tuy or Tui as it is known in the local Galician dialect. Tui marks the boundary between two important sub regions; it is also the site of what is perhaps the oldest Jewish settlement in Spain. Within Nora's vineyards the great Albarino varietal ripens to perfection, as it basks in the warmth of Galicia's long summer days that are tempered by the nearby Gulf Stream and the morning fog that rolls through the mountain valleys.