Calma Indómita Albarin (NOT Albariño) 2023/2024, León

Mauricio Lorca

We’d never even heard of the grape variety Albarin. At one time on the verge of extinction, it hails from the northern tip of the Iberian Peninsula but has been in northern Castilla y León for generations and it is thriving there, with a growing following on the domestic market. When we first brought this wine over to the UK we spent a fair bit of time explaining that the grape name on the label did not involve a typo (a missing letter O); it’s not Albariño! People found this intriguing and DNA testing tells us the two grapes are not even closely related, so we started including the words ‘NOT Albariño’ in the title.

This is also one of the most successful launches we have ever been a part of, with the 2023 vintage winning BEST VALUE WHITE WINE OF THE YEAR 2025 in The Wine Merchant Top 100 Competition – quite an accolade for the first commercial release! So, what’s it like? Well, despite the temptation to compare, it’s not really like an Albariño – although those do vary enormously in style. If anything, it’s somewhat akin to a dry Riesling in style, with a lot of body and texture, and profound underlying citrus character. The kerosene isn’t there, and instead you can find subtle tropical notes of melon and guava. That said, the wine is fundamentally dry and lean and fantastic with food. So, if you’ve NOT tried an Albarin, we urge you to try this one.

Best Value White Trophy! – Wine Merchant Top 100 2025 (2023 vintage)

“Baked peach on a fresh summer day; driving through a valley of fruit trees… lovely balance of fruit, acidity and minerals… just incredible value for money here.”