A Spanish white wine that will suit any sauvignon blanc lover | Phil Your Glass
Mother Nature may not have received the memo, but spring has arrived in Northeast Ohio, and I have a wine for this momentous occasion.
Kentia's 2021 Albariño from Spain’s Rias Baixas region is the perfect wine to celebrate the retreat of Old Man Winter as well as the colorful arrival of spring buds.
Albariño is one of my favorite white wine varietals. It’s another one of the wines that I buy off the shelf when I see a new and unfamiliar label. I’m confident that a glass of Kentia Albariño will woo any California sauvignon blanc lover to Spain’s northwest corner.
Albariño is an extremely aromatic grape. This bottle boasts lovely aromas of freshly squeezed grapefruit, Bosc pear and honey. It also gets extremely comfy and cozy with any white fish dish and your favorite shellfish. Don’t forget: We still have a couple of more Lenten fish fries before Easter.
I had a glass of this $15.99 wine with a carryout order of shrimp and grits from the Valley Cafe in the Merriman Valley. You can also pick up an order at the downtown Wadsworth location. Eating this dish on a recent Friday during Lent was not a sacrifice for me. I enjoyed every bite. The creamy sauce was amazing, too! Perfect with the Kentia Albariño. Don’t tell Pope Francis.
On day two, I had a glass with a few green olives and a hunk of manchego cheese. A Cajun crawfish roll from the Market District in Cuyahoga Falls was another fresh and tasty bite that paired wonderfully with this wine.
Buy this wine at Beau’s Market in Copley, Krieger’s Market in Cuyahoga Falls, Cornerstone Market in Munroe Falls, Mustard Seed Market in Montrose, Corkscrew Johnny’s in Richfield, River Merchant in Kent, Fishers on Fulton in Canton, and by the bottle and glass at North End in Hudson.
More:Stretch your budget and please your palate | Phil Your Glass
March Wine Madness
Local wine podcaster and distributor Luke Taylor will bring his show to life during a premium-wine-tasting event from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton. This can’t-miss event will give attendees the opportunity to taste 35 ultra-premium California wines and meet Master Sommelier Larry Larry O’Brien, one of Northeast Ohio’s most renowned wine experts.
All of the wineries represented have been Taylor’s guests on his “Cork and Taylor” podcast. Dunn, Daou, Pride and Paloma are just a few of the rock star wines that will be poured.
“We’ll also have a couple of whites to help break up all of the big bold reds that will be poured,” Taylor said.
Chef Beau Schmidt will prepare small bites for the $65 tasting. I will see you there as I welcome the opportunity to cross a few wines off my personal bucket list. Go to eventbrite to purchase tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/d/oh--fairlawn/cork-and-taylor-wine-madness/ . Walk-ins are welcome, too.
Follow Taylor’s wine country journey on his Instagram account, corkandtaylorwine, as he interviews The Who’s Who of the California wine scene.
More:Slingshot hits the mark for great cabernet under $20 | Phil Your Glass
April Phil’s Day
Cornerstone Market in Munroe Falls will have an April Phil’s Day wine tasting from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 1, for $5.
Wine specialist Charlie Chambless will pour five wines previously featured in Phil Your Glass columns. Former basketball star Dwyane Wade's $29.99 Three by Wade California cabernet will be the wow wine poured. See you there.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kentia's 2021 Albariño is the perfect wine to celebrate spring
