Albillo
Encyclopedia
Albillo or Albillo Real is a white Spanish wine
grape planted primarily in the Ribera del Duero
region, and also in Madrid
, Ávila
and Galicia. The grape has mostly neutral flavors with a light perfume aroma. It has a high glycerol
index which confers smoothness to the wines.
It is sometimes added to the red wines of the Ribera del Duero for added aromatics. The berries are of average size, round in shape and golden in colour. The grape bunches are generally small and compact. It is an early ripening variety and in central Spain is usually harvested in mid August.
It is an authorized variety in the Ribera del Duero
region and one of the main varieties in the Vinos de Madrid DO.
in which he says that the wine made from this variety is described as “very clear, with gentle colour and taste”. He also states that the wine can be kept for quite some time but that it improves in quality if mixed with other varieties such as Cigüente, Moscatel or Hebén.
Simón de Roxas Clemente y Rubio
, in Viticultura, published in the 19th century mentions the sweetness of the must.
According to Alain Huetz de Lemps
, the Albillo variety represented 36% of all vines planted in the Toro
region in 1751, and was also found in Tierras de Medina, though not as much as the Verdejo
variety. He also states that Albillo was to be found in the Rioja Alta, and that it was used for making the traditional txacolí wine in the province of Vizcaya
.
There are total of five grape varieties with 'Albillo' as part of their name: Albillo de Albacete, Albillo Krimskii, Albillo Mayor, Albillo Real, and Albillo Real de Granada. Of these, only Albillo Real is referred to as simply Albillo.
Albillo is also used as a synonym for the Spanish grape variety Pardina. Albillo Negro is one of Tempranillo
's many synonyms.
Spanish wine
Spanish wines are wines produced in the southwestern European country of Spain. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has over 2.9 million acres planted—making it the most widely planted wine producing nation but it is the third largest producer of wine in the world, the largest...
grape planted primarily in the Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León...
region, and also in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Ávila
Ávila (province)
Ávila is a province of central-western Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered on the south by the provinces of Toledo and Cáceres, on the west by Salamanca, on the north by Valladolid, and on the east by Segovia and Madrid. Ávila has a...
and Galicia. The grape has mostly neutral flavors with a light perfume aroma. It has a high glycerol
Glycerol
Glycerol is a simple polyol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is widely used in pharmaceutical formulations. Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups that are responsible for its solubility in water and its hygroscopic nature. The glycerol backbone is central to all lipids...
index which confers smoothness to the wines.
It is sometimes added to the red wines of the Ribera del Duero for added aromatics. The berries are of average size, round in shape and golden in colour. The grape bunches are generally small and compact. It is an early ripening variety and in central Spain is usually harvested in mid August.
It is an authorized variety in the Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León...
region and one of the main varieties in the Vinos de Madrid DO.
History
The first written mention of Albillo is from the 15th century in Agricultura General by Gabriel Alonso de HerreraGabriel Alonso de Herrera
Gabriel Alonso de Herrera was a Spanish author, best known for his Obra de Agricultura , published in 1513 under the patronage of Cardinal Cisneros....
in which he says that the wine made from this variety is described as “very clear, with gentle colour and taste”. He also states that the wine can be kept for quite some time but that it improves in quality if mixed with other varieties such as Cigüente, Moscatel or Hebén.
Simón de Roxas Clemente y Rubio
Simón de Roxas Clemente y Rubio
Simón de Roxas Cosme Damián Clemente y Rubio was a renowned Spanish botanist, considered to be the father of Spanish ampelography.-Early Days:...
, in Viticultura, published in the 19th century mentions the sweetness of the must.
According to Alain Huetz de Lemps
Alain Huetz de Lemps
Alain Huetz de Lemps is a French geographer and botanist. He is a lecturer at Bordeaux University and Honoris Causa professor of the University of Valladolid...
, the Albillo variety represented 36% of all vines planted in the Toro
Toro, Zamora
Toro is a town and municipality in the province of Zamora, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is located on a fertile high plain, northwest of Madrid at an elevation of 740 meters....
region in 1751, and was also found in Tierras de Medina, though not as much as the Verdejo
Verdejo
Verdejo is a variety of wine grape that has long been grown in the Rueda region of Spain. The grape originated in North Africa, and was spread to Rueda in about the 11th Century, possibly by Mozarabs. Verdejo was generally used to make a strongly oxidized, Sherry-like wine...
variety. He also states that Albillo was to be found in the Rioja Alta, and that it was used for making the traditional txacolí wine in the province of Vizcaya
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
.
Synonyms
Albillo is also known by other names: Albilla, Albillo de Cebreros, Albillo de Madrid, Albillo de Toro, Albillo Castellano, Blanco del País, Castellano, Gual, Hoja Vuelta, Nieves Temprano, Pardillo, Pardina y Uva Perruna.There are total of five grape varieties with 'Albillo' as part of their name: Albillo de Albacete, Albillo Krimskii, Albillo Mayor, Albillo Real, and Albillo Real de Granada. Of these, only Albillo Real is referred to as simply Albillo.
Albillo is also used as a synonym for the Spanish grape variety Pardina. Albillo Negro is one of Tempranillo
Tempranillo
Tempranillo is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. It is the main grape used in Rioja, and is often referred to as Spain's "noble grape". Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano , a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks...
's many synonyms.