Rias Baixas
Wine 1:
Pazo Pondal Leira 2023 - 12.5% ABV
Grape: 100% Albariño
This wine is strongly influenced by the region’s cool, humid climate, which is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Here wines made from the Albariño grape show vibrant acidity and pronounced citrus and stone-fruit aromas. The grapes for this wine come from the estate’s higher-altitude vineyards, including El Rañado, Torre, and El Alto, which help preserve bright fruit flavors and acidity in the resulting wine. The wine is made in a fresh, youthful style intended to emphasize Albariño’s aromatic citrus, pear, and floral notes, lively acidity, and mineral character.
Wine 2:
Bodegas y Viñedos Attis Brancellao - 13% ABV
Grape: 100% Brancellao
Produced in the Val do Salnés subregion of Rías Baixas, the grapes for this wine were trained on pergolas to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of fungal infection or disease. This wine is one of only 300 bottles produced for the 2022 vintage, and it is made entirely from Brancellao, a rare black grape variety native to Galicia, grown on granitic sandy/clay soils in vineyards around Meaño. After fermentation and ~15 days of maceration, the wine was matured for 12 months in French oak barrels, producing an elegant, fresh red with delicate red and black fruit flavors, smooth tannins, and subtle spice and savory complexity.
Rías Baixas is one of Spain’s most important regions for high-quality white wine and is particularly well-known for wines made from the grape Albariño. Located in Galicia on Spain’s cool, Atlantic-influenced northwestern coast, the region has a moderate maritime climate, characterized by mild temperatures, high rainfall, and considerable humidity. Vineyards are divided among several subregions, including Val do Salnés, O Rosal, Condado do Tea, Soutomaior, and Ribeira do Ulla, with primarily granite based soils throughout coastal areas. Because of the region’s humid conditions, vines have traditionally been trained high on pergolas to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of fungal disease.
Both wines presented in this blind tasting reflect this region’s cool, humid Atlantic climate through their fresh acidity and bright fruit character. The Pazo Pondal Leira is typical of wines made from the Albariño grape, showing a light body structure and aromatic citrus, apple, and floral notes. In contrast, the Attis Brancellao displays flavors of red cherry, plum, and dark fruit, along with fine tannins and a complex savory notes. Because the Brancellao was matured in French oak for approximately 12 months, it also shows more noticeable wood-derived characteristics, while the Leira remains more purely fruit-driven and refreshing.