One of the top whites in this report is the 2017 Albariño from Palacio de Fefinanes, which is 100% varietal and sees no oak, being brought up all in stainless steel. Vivid notes of lime, citrus, crushed rocks, and an almost Riesling-like petrol character all soar from the glass. Medium-bodied, seamless, and incredibly elegant on the palate, it has remarkable purity of fruit and flawless balance, and while it’s not as concentrated as the more expensive 1583 cuvée, I like the balance and purity here more. This is one to seek out, and it should keep for 2-4 years.

This is the flagship of Palacio de Fefiñanes, first produced in 1928. The grapes are from Cambados, and the wine spends six months in stainless-steel tanks until it’s bottled. A classic albariño from Rías Baixas, this is a lovely mix of peach flavors, scents of flowers and herbs and a mineral background. It is soft, round, juicy and rich in its lime-scented acidity. For batter-fried calamari.

From the first-ever Rías Baixas producer to bottle Albariño, way back in 1928, this shows the variety's hallmark minerality. Orchard fruit aromas with clean mineral notes lead to a bright attack of grapefruit and lemon citrus, with richer hints of preserved lemon and crisp green apple on the finish. The smooth palate is underpinned with fresh acidity; perfect for fish and seafood.

Fefiñanes ranks among the best and most consistent makers of Albariño in Rías Baixas, so no surprise that this comes across clean on the nose, with lively notes of white fruits and buttercup. A plump but vibrant palate is still in peak condition, while this tastes of nectarine, apple, honeydew and lime. Drink through 2019.

The classical 2017 Albariño de Fefiñanes was produced with grapes from the Salnés Valley, where soils are mostly granite-based. This gives the wines a varietal touch of freshness, acidity and salinity. It fermented in 8,000-liter stainless steel vats at 16 degrees Celsius. It felt a bit reductive and needed time to open up. The palate is clean and harmonious, with tasty flavors, very pleasant and easy to drink. My experience is that this wine is much better on its second, third and fourth year. 179,000 bottles produced. There are 18 bottlings of it.- LG