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Alvarinho

The white grape variety originates from the border region Portugal/Spain. Synonyms are Albariña, Albariño, Albelleiro, Alvarin Blanco, Alvarinha, Azal Blanco, Cainho Branco, Galego, Galeguinho and Padernã. Parentage (parentage) is unknown. Despite seemingly suggestive synonyms or similarities, it should not be confused with the varieties Albarín Blanco, Albillo Real, Amaral, Azal Branco, Caíño Bl anco, Galego Dourado, Savagnin Blanc = Traminer (in Spain and Australia under Albariño and Albarín Blanco) or Verdeca. Alvarinho was a crossing partner of the new varieties Alvarinho Liláz, Alvarinho Silvestre, Alvarinho Topasio, Casalze and Valveirinha. It is a very old grape variety. According to an unverifiable hypothesis, it was supposedly brought to Galicia by Cistercian monks from Germany or France via the Camino de Santiago between the 11th and 13th centuries. However, the assumption of a relationship with the Riesling is not tenable. According to DNA analyses carried out in 2003, there is a close relationship to the Loureiro variety. The Caíño Blanco variety is the result of a presumably natural cross between Albariño (Alvarinho) x Caíño Bravo (Amaral).

Alvarinho - Weintraube und Blatt

The early to medium ripening vine is susceptible to powdery and downy mildew and especially to mites, but resistant to drought and drought and therefore excellent for dry soils. It produces high alcohol white wines with aromas of acacia and lime. The variety is mainly represented in the north of Portugal, where it is cultivated in the Vinho Verde area (Monção) and is often grown on pergolas. There, it is the most important variety for the white variety besides the Loureiro. Here it occupies 1,989 hectares (2010). In Spain, the variety is mainly represented in the Rías Baixas area under the name Albariño and occupies a total of 5,393 hectares of vineyards here. There are further stocks in the US states of California, Oregon and Washington (126 hectares in total), Chile (1 hectare) and New Zealand (26 hectares). The variety occupied a total of 5,545 hectares of vineyards in 2016. It thus ranks 106th in the global grape variety rankings (Kym Anderson statistics).

Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)

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