Familia Deicas, Atlántico Sur Albariño

One of the best strategies for finding great wine at great prices is to focus on regions that are under the radar. What I mean by that is regions that consistently produce good wine, but for whatever reason most people haven’t heard about it yet.

Uruguay is one of those regions that I’ve been talking up for the past couple years, but I’ve been focused primarily on their red wines and more specifically, Tannat. I’ve written reviews on a number of Uruguayan wines and when people ask me for recommendations, Uruguay is usually the first thing I mention.

While I do love Uruguayan reds, they also produce some exceptional white wines which can also be found at very good prices. They produce a few different varieties of white wines and Albariño is one of their shining stars.

So… what makes Uruguay special? It’s a very unique country for wine production because of the Atlantic influence. Think about it, pretty much every major wine producing region in the Americas is on the Pacific side and therefore has a Pacific influence. But Uruguay sits on the Atlantic side of South America. This location, and its oceanic influence, moderates the temperatures and creates a significant diurnal shift, which is great for growing wine grapes. The soils in Uruguay also contribute to the wine here, although the soils vary in different parts of the country, creating different nuances in the wine from those regions.

Familia Deicas, Atlántico Sur Albariño

This Albariño, produced by Familia Deicas, was made with grapes from two different vineyards. One of those vineyards, in Juanicó, has soil composed of clay and limestone. The other vineyard, in Sierras de Garzón, has soil based on decomposed granite. These different vineyards result in two different wines that can be blended as the winemakers see fit.

Additionally, they harvested the grapes for this wine at different stages of ripeness, also resulting in wines with differing characteristics. This gives winemakers lots of options for crafting the final wine.

After fermentation, the wines are blended and then stored in stainless steel tanks with lees stirring for several months. This helps stabilize the wine while enhancing the aromatics. The end result, pure deliciousness.

Tasting Notes

The aromas are spot on for what I expect from an Albariño: peach and citrus are the first aromas to stand out, but there are also some floral, melon and flinty mineral notes. It’s absolutely delicious on the palate, delivering rich peach, lemon and melon flavors, along with a touch of salinity. The acidity is vibrant enough to give a fresh, crisp quality but it’s not over the top. The mouthfeel is smooth, although more zingy than silky. It finishes relatively long, with peach and citrus flavors.

Wine: Familia Deicas, Atlántico Sur Albariño
Varieties: 100% Albariño
Vintage: 2024
Alcohol: 12.3%
Rating: 90
Average price: $20.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.