How To Celebrate Fiesta del Albariño Without Buying A Plane Ticket

As Fiesta del Albariño 2023 is set to begin it's annual gala August 2nd through 6th, let's take a look into the Galician backdrop that creates a magical setting for the week of white wine and seafood festivities.

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Understanding the history and landscape of Galicia enlightens the brilliance of Albariño, as well as the local seafood. Often conserved in seawater or olive oil, the "conservas" have become a staple product from the Iberian Peninsula. The origin is rooted in a proclamation by Napoleon: find food preparations able to provide nutritious food -  conveniently - to troops waging war far from the comforts of home, also safe from the threat of being poisoned. Conservas became a booming industry in the Atlantic region of Europe, with Spain leading the charge.

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Looking back, a series of French sardine shortages spanning the end of the 19th Century and into the turn of the 20th Century, turned attention to the coastal abundance of Northern Spain. The town of Vigo in Rías Baixas became the new hub for tinned fish, thanks to the area’s impressive supply of world-class seafood. The region also shares a border with the northwestern Portuguese region of Vinho Verde, the other "home" of Albariño/Alvarinho. The Rías Baixas D.O. was formally established in 1988, as Albariño has always been the flagship of this coastal region. In the region's unique climate, Albariño shares the same mineral-rich soils and cool climate as other leading white wine regions, like the Loire Valley & New Zealand. The proximity to the rugged Atlantic coast creates the perfect maritime influence for zippy white wines that lead with a mineral edge, salinity, and vibrant acidity - brilliant for seafood pairings.

So how do you celebrate at home? First off, you'll need an excellent bottle of Albariño! Here are a few producers I highly recommend you check out: Do Ferreiro, Paco y Lola, Casa Monte Pio, Zarate, and Fefiñanes! Next, you'll need conservas. So let's dive into a local producer doing it the old school way.

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Founded in Portland in 2021 by Top Chef alum and two-time James Beard Award Rising Star semi-finalist, Sara Hauman, Tiny Fish Co embraces a seasonality-focused sourcing philosophy at the center — with a focus on biodiversity through abundantly available species that don’t contribute to the taxing cycle of overfishing. Working with local and independently-owned fisheries along the coast, Tiny Fish Co’s quality-driven, wild-caught offerings are each a byproduct of authentic community, conversation, and care. Similar to the inspirational fisheries of Rías Baixas which diversified their offerings during the Sardine Crisis, Chef Sara is focused on offering lesser-known, local fish varieties in an effort to display the bounty of the waters of the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon coast is picturesque, and often rugged like that of Galicia's coastline. May this inspire you to crack a bottle of Albariño and tip it back with a delicious tin of conservas. Go on - have your own Fiesta del Albariño!