Albariño, from Galicia, is probably Spain’s best-known white wine. Styles range from lean and citrusy, with mineral and saline notes, to wines that are richer and fleshier. The wines are the perfect complement to seafood, which Galicia has in abundance. And these lively whites make for a refreshing drink in hot weather – which much of the U.S. has had in abundance this year.

   While much of Spain is hot and arid, Galicia – the northwestern region perched above Portugal – is generally cooler and damper. That’s particularly true of the coastal wine-growing appellation of Rias Baixas, which is albariño central.

   Ninety-nine percent of the wine production in Rias Baixas is white. Ninety-five percent of the plantings are albariño, although 12 white grapes are permitted under the appellation rules. Wines labeled “albariño” must be 100 percent of that variety; wines labeled with just a region may be a blend. There are five non-contiguous subregions, with the best known being Val do Salnés, O Rosal and Condado do Tea.

   Vineyards are typically small plots: There are about 10,000 acres under vine with more than 5,000 growers. The traditional planting method is on a pergola-type trellis, known as a parra, which improves airflow and lifts the grapes away from the humidity closer to the ground. (The posts are often formed from granite, which is abundant in the area, especially in Salnés.) Some plantings in drier areas use more modern trellising.

   The San Francisco Wine School in South San Francisco recently hosted a seminar and tasting with the Rias Baixas producers association. What follows are some of the highlights, along with a couple of wines I tasted at home.

   Val do Salnés has the most Atlantic coastline of the subregions and is consequently the coolest and dampest of the five. It has the most vineyard acreage, though the plots are often tiny – less than an acre. Salnés also has the highest concentration of wineries.

   One of those wineries is Martín Códax, a large producer whose wines are easy to find. The wines labeled with the Martín Códax name are fine, but for about the same price you can get the Burgáns Albariño from the same winery. The 2023 ($20) is richer, broader and fleshier, with pretty white fruit.

   The 2023 Attis “Lías Finas” Albariño ($25), also from Salnés, is very fragrant, with white fruit, a slightly drying texture and good weight. The same winery has a single-vineyard albariño, the 2021 Embaixador ($45), that shows even more complexity.

   I’ve long been a fan of the wines of Palacio del Fefiñanes in the seaside town of Cambados. During a visit about 15 years ago, I was treated to a tasting of older vintages, which had aged spectacularly well. The 2023 Albariño de Fefiñanes ($36) isn’t showy in its youth – it’s structured and saline, but not particularly fruity – but I suspect that it will age nicely.

   The 2022 Castel de Fornos Albariño ($25) is a superb example of the variety: racy lime, wet stone, some salinity and a long finish. And the 2023 La Caña Albariño ($21), whose grapes are mostly from Salnés, displays lively lime and green apple flavors, with a persistent finish.

   O Rosal is to the south, along the coast and the river that forms the border with Portugal. It, too, is cool, but warmer than Salnés. Many of the wines in O Rosal are blends dominated by albariño but also containing grapes such as loureiro and caiño blanco. One such wine is the 2022 Santiago Ruiz ($22), which is round and citrusy, with stone fruit and some structure on the finish.

   Another prominent winery in O Rosal is Terras Gauda. The 2022 Terras Gauda ($23), another blend, is rich and fleshy, with white fruit. The same winery produces the 2022 Abadía de San Campio Albariño ($20), which is more acidic and a little spicy, with fresh white fruit flavors.

   Condado do Tea is inland from O Rosal and is quite a bit hotter. Among the wines from this region are the 2022 Morgadío Albariño ($25), which is structured and very fresh, with lively white fruit, and the 2023 La Val Albariño ($20), with its zippy lime and green apple flavors and slight saline note.

   Finally, there’s the 2023 Val do Sosego Albariño ($20), which offers ample fresh white fruit flavors. It’s available at Total Wine.

   For more information about the wines of Rias Baixas, go to riasbaixaswines.com.