Croma Vera Albariño 2021

A superior albariño from Edna Valley

I was going to make the Croma Vera Alberiño 2021, from Edna Valley, a Wine of the Day, but it’s produced in such a limited quantity that I thought it would be unfair. And you know how I feel about unfairness. Still, people should be aware of this small winery, owned by Mindy Oliver, and the sort of wine she and winemaker Jeremy Leffert produce. The grapes derive from the Marfarm Vineyard, a SIP-certified sustainable plot. The wine aged five months in 60% neutral French oak barrels and 40% stainless steel drums. The color is a light-to-medium straw-gold hue; a seductive bouquet of jasmine and honeysuckle, yellow plums and spiced pear, lemongrass and fennel seed unfurls a layer of dusty talc; just a lovely texture that flows on the palate like powdered money — it has that aura of expensive sensuality — supported by bright acidity and a lithe, spare thread of graphite and limestone minerality; the neutral oak manifests itself as a subliminal haze, while the stainless steel provides an even keel of freshness and crispness; the wine becomes a bit grassy, with a hint of white peach and leafy fig in the background. 14% alcohol. Production was 100 cases. We drank glasses of this wine with swordfish, marinated in lemon juice and rosemary, seared in a cast-iron skillet and served with a lemon-white wine reduction with capers and celery. Now through 2025 to ‘27. Vegan-friendly. Excellent. About $30.