The best Albariños in the world

The best Albariños in the world are: La Val Crianza sobre Lias from Galician producer Bodegas La Val, Abadía San Campio from Cordorniu’s Terras Gauda and Vinha Antiga from Portuguese co-operative Provam.

The Spanish Wine Tasters’ Union announced 25 medals including three supreme gold champions, following a tasting, held in London last month.

The judges of the Albariños Around the World 2012 International Competition comprised 12 of the UK wine industry’s leading figures included three masters of wine – Sarah Jane Evans, Susan Hulme and Peter McCombie – followed by sommeliers Andrea Briccarello (Galvin Restaurants), James Myers (Gordon Ramsay Restaurants) and Clement Robert (The Medlar), journalists Fernando Melo (Revista de Vinhos), Juan Carlos Rincón (Decanter) and Patricia Langton, and the wine buyers behind major high street brands such as Waitrose and Vagabond Wines, Nick Room and Peter Ingram respectively.

The judges tasted 74 still white wines, two sparkling wines and three aguardientes (distilled between 29% and 60% alcohol by volume. The proceedings were supervised by Fernando Gurucharri, president of the Spanish Wine Tasters’ Union.

The final line-up of the Around the World 2012 competition featured three Supreme Gold Albariños, 13 Gold Albariños and nine Silver Albariños, plus 19 Commended Albariños.

For more information: www.albarinosalmundo.com