My virtual trip to Rias Baixas #WorldWineTravel

This month for our World Wine Travel event Linda of My Full Wine Glass invited us to join her on a virtual trip to Galacia, known as Green Spain.  You can learn more in her Preview Post. Some participants were  sent a wonderful flight of wines along with a luggage tag and ticket for the trip from sponsor Gregory + Vine.

Come along with us as we get onto the bus........

I nearly missed my flight but I got to the bus just in time where we gathered with Eva, Debra and Rich who were going to share their knowledge of this gorgeous area of Spain and the wines and foods that they offer.

image from vineyards.com

We rode through gorgeous, green landscape ending at Martin Codax Winery located right on the Atalantic Ocean.  Here we learned that 99% of the grapes they grow (96%) is white Albrino.  They grow these on pergolas set 5-7 feet above the ground to help prevent mildew as the area is so wet.

We opened this bottle and I found it to be a little musky on the nose.  My first sip was a pleasant surprise.   Mild and lemony.  It was effervescent which I find to be charactrerstic of Albarino.  This vineyard, being on the Atlantic Ocean has a terroir of granite and sand.  It is filled with salinity.  

I had picked up some asiago/artichoke dip while at the market to snack on during the trip.  The food gave the Albarino a fuller feel in the mouth.

Our next stop was at Bodega Fillaboa located inland bordering Portugal.  These grapes still benefit from the Atlantic breeze.  This wine smells of citrus and grass.  It is tart and medium bodied, more buttery than the Martin Codax.  This wine is aged for 6 months and comes from a warmer, drier region.  

Rias=Sea and Galicias is filled with Shellfish Farms when we stopped for our virtual lunch we were served up fresh oysters.  I can't think of a better pairing with these wines.  It made me wish that I had picked some up instead of my cheese dip.  Or sushi....I think sushi would be perfect with these wines.

The last stop on our trip was actually the first sip I tried before we ever got on the bus. I cheat sometimes LOL.  Bodegas Robalino is pale gold, very grassy and smooth.  It, too, screams for oysters or cold shrimp.  

After we returned home from our virtual trip, I still had 3 bottles of wine that were opened and we were leaving the next day for a real life vacation.  We called our neighbors, Frank popped some popcorn and we visited and shared the remaining wine with them.  It was very interesting to all of us how very different these wines made from the same grape were.  It was a great lesson in how the terroir and the method of wine making influences the finished product.  

We are going to be talking more about this trip on Saturday at 11 AM ET on Twitter Chat following #WorldWineTravel.  Just like the different terroirs affect the wine so, too, do different palates.  It will be interesting to read all the different tasting notes and food pairings that we tried.  Please join us.

Here are the topics we will be discussing.......

• Steve at Children of the Grape shares Troubadours, Love, and Wine.
• Terri at Our Good Life discusses One Grape: Three Unique Experiences with Albarino.
• Andrea at The Quirky Cork writes about Albariño and Bacon: A Love Affair.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest recommends A Region and Wine You Must Explore: Rias Baixas and Albariño.
• Jeff from Food Wine Click! shares A Tale of Two Rias Baixas Albarinos.
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm talks about My Virtual Trip to Rias Baixas.
• Allison and Chris at ADVineTURES discuss The White Wines of Rias Baixas.
• Nicole from Somm’s Table shares It’s Raining Rias Baixas.
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla pairs Sopa de Cebolla + 2020 Fillaboa Albariño.
• Martin from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog talks about Bodegas Zarate; Setting the Standard for Rias Baixas Albarino – Then and Now.
• David at Cooking Chat pairs Pan Seared Sea Bass with Albariño.
• Jennifer at Vino Travels shares Refresh Your Palate with Rias Baixas Albarino.
• Melanie from Wining with Mel takes a Wine Romp Through Rias Baixas in Galicia, Spain.
• Rupal from Syrah Queen has Your Passport To Rias Baixas – Explore Three Incredible Albarinos.
• Susannah at Avvinare posts Rias Baixas – Green Spain Entices.
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator shares From California’s Camino Real to Galicia’s Camino de Santiago: All Aboard for Albariño 2!
• Liz at What's In That Bottle? says Pack Your Bags: We're off to Rias Baixas for an Albariño Adventure.
• Linda, your host, from My Full Wine Glass offers 5 Things that Might Surprise You About Rías Baixas, Home of Albariño.