Springfield Estate - It's Albariño season!

Tuesday, 5 February, 2019
Springfield Estate
We are often asked where we find the inspiration for our wines – for new blends, for different names, for doing something that no one has ever done before. The long answer is too complex to fit on a piece of paper.

The short answer, however, is that inspiration finds us, not the other way round. One can be inspired in the most unlikely of places: the trick is to realise when an inspired idea has found you.

We first discovered Albariño while on holiday in Uruguay. As we waited for our room to be readied in a small rural town, the guesthouse owner suggested we pass the time in the neighbouring coffee shop. Loathe to drink coffee in the late afternoon, we asked if there was any cold wine available. A bottle was produced from the back room, which we gratefully accepted, and not wanting to hinder further, we neglected to enquire about the varietal or vintage. Much to our surprise, the wine we drank that afternoon in a dusty small town in South America was a revelation. Complex, rich in texture yet with an acidity that had our palates dancing, our first taste of Albariño was an unforgettable one.

Back home, we immediately set to work trying to get our hands on this magical grape. As Albariño was not yet available in the country, we had the option of importing the plant material in vitro. Fortunately, Lady Luck once again took our hand, as the Newton Johnson family were on a similar pursuit. Catching wind of our plans, they graciously offered us some of their cuttings, and so the first bundle of Albariño vines found their way onto our farm. This handful of root-stock was slowly multiplied, taking us three years to plant a single block of vines. Fortune favours the brave, and the maiden vintage from this vineyard did not disappoint our now-distant memory of that revelatory afternoon in a small dusty town.

Redolent of apricot, nectarine and white flowers, yet with a saline minerality and a bright acidity, this wine continues to captivate us to this day. Call it fate, a stroke of luck, or pure coincidence, but however you like to look at it, our journey with Albariño has only just begun.

What is  Albariño? 
Albariño wine (“alba-reen-yo”) is a high-quality, light-bodied white that grows mostly in Spain and Portugal. It’s loved for its high acidity, refreshing citrus flavors, dry taste, and subtle saltiness. For seafood lovers, Albariño is a fantastic choice for pairing with exquisite dishes like ceviche, fish tacos, seafood pasta, and prawns.