Vintage

This is certainly worth a mention from the same wine merchant, Laymont & Shaw.  Alborino is a great wine for quality and value that sits very comfortably next to a huge range of seafood dishes.  What drew me in here was that Layton & Shaw are advertising this on their outside board at £4.99 a bottle; overt endorsement is a good sign that it may not be too shabby!  Indeed it is not.  It has an attractive tropical nose with hints of lemon.  In the mouth it is fruity with a crisp acidity. The acidity is a positive characteristic that gives a sensation of the mouth watering on the insides of the cheeks.  It helps preserve and balance the wine and is good for clearing fatty food residue off the palate between mouthfuls.

At this price it is a steal.  We enjoyed it with a Chinese takeaway and I have to say it reached all the right high spots for a chilled Saturday evening.  

A few notes on the Rias Baixas:  This albino producing part of Galicia in NW Spain on the border of Portugal is very beautiful and has an ancient feel to it.  The "Rias" are huge river valleys that run down to the Atlantic from the mountains and make up a beautifully dramatic landscape.  The area is famous for seafood, wine, surfing, troubadours, Santiago de Compostella, green peppers known as "Padron" peppers and probably a whole lot more.  Fly to Coruna from Heathrow and see for yourself!

£4.99 Maior de Mendoza, Alborino, 2008, Rias Baixas from Laymont & Shaw, Truro