I confess to preferring chardonnay when I want a white wine, but I’m constantly challenged by other white wines that pose the question: why stick with chardonnay when there are so many intriguing alternatives?
Last night I opened two alternatives from the Iberian Peninsula that reset my bias. The first was a tantalizing 2025 verdejo from Bodegas LAN. For an amazing $14, it represents an incredible value for summer drinking with layers of citrus, white peach and grapefruit flavors cloaked in brisk acidity.
From the Rueda region of Spain, verdejo is a cross between traminer and castellana blanc.
The second surprise was an alvarino from neighboring Portugal. The 2025 Mendes & Symington Contacto Alvariho is a collaboration between vinho verde pioneer Anselmo Mendes and the port family of Symington estates. Genetically the same as Spain’s albarino, this wine from the northern reaches of Portugal has attractive mineral notes to complement its citrus core. It’s a great value at just $22 a bottle.
Chardonnay goes well with a lot of seafood, but alternatives such as these two wines are better matches to appetizers, shrimp, oysters and other fare.
https://tomm142661.substack.com/p/two-great-values-from-the-iberian?r=kmp90&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
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