WineSmith

Vinovation, a company specializing in winemaking techniques including a patented VA reduction and alcohol adjustment applications of reverse osmosis, has an offshoot company, Wine Smith, whose various releases are typically 1,000 cases or less. Led by President Brian Smith, the group also runs Oenovation International, LLC. Brother Clark Smith established his reputation at R.H. Phillips fresh out of UC Davis. He was founding winemaker. During his tenure, the                                                         winery grew from 3,000 cases per year to 250,000.

This release, an Albarino, is beautifully put together. Bright, straw yellow, with golden highlights and moderate viscosity, the wine has aromas of lemon, peach, pink grapefruit, macadamia, hazelnut and marzipan. It is creamy and lemony on the palate, with a softly prickly finish (think peach fuzz). Often praised as Spain’s finest white grape – there it excels in cool Galicia – the varietal is hard to find elsewhere, though a handful of vintners in California are working with it. If unripe, it has a sharp, grassy quality, which is quite refreshing with oysters, or ceviche. This is obviously not a problem here. It is not overripe to the point of losing its own unique personality, which has become an issue for some of the more commercial Spanish bottlings.

Reviewed January 18, 2008 by Catherine Fallis.