Say it like a Spaniard: Ahl-bah-REE-nyoh
Why it belongs in your fridge: This white strikes a balance between crisp, refreshing citrus and aromatic stone fruit (look for apricots and nectarines) and blossoms—great for winding down a warm August afternoon.
Foods that make it taste even better: Seafood. If it ever sported a fin or a shell, it’s the right pairing—shrimp, crab, scallops, halibut, sablefish …
Try all of the above with lemony aioli or mint pesto.
And don’t let the summer get away without an Albariño-and-paella party (the wine loves mussels and saffron).
Old World Heritage: Chalk that seafood-friendliness up to its main home: Rías Baixas (REE-us BI-shus), on Spain’s northwest coast, where Albariño accounts for 90 percent of the vineyards.
West Coast regions to watch: San Luis Obispo County. Tangent Winery, sister to Baileyana, is farming one of the largest Albariño vineyards outside Spain. (But southern Oregon has its share coming on strong too.)
Top Albariño picks: