My task of the week was to procure a white Spanish wine for a Spanish-theme dinner party this Sunday. I know this is an unusual request, but when the hostess says to bring a white Spanish wine, you bring a white Spanish wine. Any other time I would be glad to bring something local. As you may know, whites are not Spain’s strong suit when it comes to wine. So I knew that finding an acceptable white Spanish wine was going to be quite challenging, if not impossible. I know I learned somewhere that Spain has managed to grow a handful of white varietals such as Viura, Parellada, Xarello, Verdejo, Airén and Albariño, as well as the token Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. My search narrowed to an Albariño from the Northwest region of Spain, Rías Baixas (ree-ass by-shuss). The Rías Baixas Albariños are far from the stereotypical (nasty) Spanish white wine. They are famous for their delicate, lively aromas and flavors that pair perfectly with shellfish. Because my search for this elusive wine was limited to Salem, like Don Quixote, the best I could secure was a Moscatel – Gewürztraminer blend from Vons. I suspect that this is one of those nasty white Spanish wines that Spain is so notorious for making. The hostess never said anything about the white Spanish wine being drinkable. Hopefully, I’ll get to eat.