Description

A wide nuanced nose with ripe yellow plum and medlar fruit, subtle notes of bergamot and verbena underpinned by a fine balsamic background. A vibrant palate, well balanced, fresh and textured. It shows a long and splendid finish.

The estate recommends pairing with medium boiled red shrimp and pickled beetroot ravioli, rose veal over foie grillé, vermouth and apple sauce, steamed and roasted prawns, hake loin or lobster.

The grapes used to elaborate the wine come from the Pazo de Barrantes estate, with 12 hectares divided into 8 different plots located around the winery. The soils of the estate are granitic, with sand on the surface and the average age of the vines is 40 years.

After an exhaustive selection, the grapes are destemmed and pressed gently and slowly in a pneumatic press. The must is decanted by flotation to ensure greater aromatic purity and then fermented at 10°C in stainless steel tanks for approximately 60 days. After fermentation, it remains 2 months with the fine lees in a stainless-steel tank.

Aged for 7 months in stainless steel tanks and 15% in acacia wood barrels.

"The 2021 Gran Vino Albariño is the third vintage of this new cuvée from their 12 hectares in eight different plots (Cacheiro, Huerta, Besada, Eira, Ferradiña, Ferradura, Tomadiña and Souto) in the Valle del Salnés plus a further hectare rented from the archbishop. The destemmed grapes were pressed and the must let to settle and then fermented in stainless steel for around 30 days. The wine was kept with the lees in stainless steel for six months and then a further six months without the lees. Fifteen percent of the volume matured in acacia wood barrels. It was kept in bottle for around 20 months before being sold. It has 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.25 and seven grams of acidity (tartaric). It's pale and elegant, insinuating, perfumed, floral and subtle. It's lighter but very vibrant, and it's fresh and with volume and very tasty flavors. This could be the finest vintage to date-elegant, clean, classical and Atlantic. 105,274 numbered bottles and 1,827 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2022. The wine is released almost two years after the harvest.
At Pazo Barrantes, the 2021 harvest started on September 18 after a wet and cooler winter and rain during spring and summer. 2019 was warmer and drier, with a heat wave in late August and early September that made them start picking on September 13. Drink date 2024-2032."
94+ points.
Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, July 2024.

"Unique, expressive and pure on the nose, with acacia, minerals and iodine. Bright and taut on the palate, with a subtle twist that goes through to the finish. Such an outstanding, gastronomic Albariño. 10,000 bottles made. Drink now."
94 points.
Zekun Shuai, Senior Editor, jamessuckling.com, August 2024.