Pergola, is the traditional way of farming the albarino vines and when walking under old vines, with thick barks and long tentacles, I can't get the image out of my mind that I'm walking under the legs of tarantulas.
Todd in the vines his friend Honorio farms for Veiga Serantes.
I disappointed Honorio, he had beautiful hairy crabs for lunch, we moved on to the next step, Lagar de Pintos
Located in Salnes, the family has been producing since 1887. Part of the Domaine is set up like a museum to show what it was like then, barrels of wine fermenting in the kitchen, that sort of thing. But Marta, an oatmeal colored girl,thin with large orbular eyes, blue and serious took us to taste the wines. She does quite a bit of cash cow wines, didn't taste them, so I can't comment, and then the Lagar de Pintos.
Marta had been making wine, like Todd, since 2003. She doesn't yeast but she does feed the buggers, if the chemistry indicates the organisms needs a boost. She also cools the grapes down quite a bit to 3 degree c. for 36 hours, and then destems and presses. She fiddles with the fine lees---20% of the wine rests on them, the others are separated. No matter what she does, the chick can make wine. The 2007, which seems to be a lovely vintage all around was deep and breathy, almost vermentino in its orange, and was quite juicy. With the acidity to match. Regarding her 2008, she said, it was the first vintage that made her cry. But I liked it. I love that wet wool quality and kind of edgy minerality. "It could be good to leave it there for a few years." she said. And I bet she does. On this trip I met people like Marta and Todd who are not in a rush to get the wine to market if more time is needed. We tasted the '09. and it was still extremely primary, bubblegum, cinnamon with a touch of silver.
The big treat was the 1994. For the occasion, her father Jose, came to taste with us. I've often called albarino the muscadet of Spain and this wine is why. Shit. That was lovely stuff. As we tasted it Marta said, "I was 17 when this was made. I didn't know or care about anything other than boys and clothes."
Meanwhile her dad was making a spectacular wine. Tasted now, it had a deep color from age, caramel, toast, almond and oxidized lemon cream and acidity that made me dimple. It was like an old house that had been opened up to wash itself in spring air.
Did you ever read Hudson River Bracketed? This, my favorite Edith Wharton novel, has a scene where Vance Weston enters the old house, he is just about to meet Halo for the first time --she's reading in the houses library. I can feel the humidity from melting snow and the lilacs about to bloom and the dust seeping out into the forest. I loved that little wine and was so happy, albarino, good albarino can age like muscadet.
Ah, what would the wine be like if the DO didn't require cold stabilization and ultra filtration? This fiasco started with the 1990 vintage because of the zero tolerance approach to sediment.
It seems to me that abarino could develop a terrific marketing program; Calling all acid freaks! Of course that would mean it would have to be unfashionable to remove the acidity from the wine. An honest albarino is a lovely thing to uphold and it seems to me that the DO of Rias Baixas doesn't offer the wine much credibility for quality.
It was 4pm and we almost missed lunch. In a panic, Honorio called a nearby restaurant and pre ordered. The food was simple. The freshest clams and sea snails and boiled octopus in all of its ink, salad for me --perfect tender greens. An unbelievable sole, Honorio dissected it perfectly. And the best surprise of all, the 'illega'l red wine of the area--Tinto de Barrantes. The wine is traditionally served in ceramic cups, which create a 'flower' as you drink, I imagine there's a flower reading tradition like one with tea leaves.
But we sipped in conventional glass.
The wine, the hybrid Folla Redonda arrived in an unlabeled bottle. It was 8% alcohol or so, tart and just delightful. I think it reminded me of the first time I had a dry Freisa. Tart and pippy. And illegal.
This is an excellent address for warmth, deliciousness and authenticity.
Tío Benito+34 986 710 287
Avenida de Bouza Martín 4
Barrantes, Pontevedra, Spain
Todd in the vines his friend Honorio farms for Veiga Serantes.
I disappointed Honorio, he had beautiful hairy crabs for lunch, we moved on to the next step, Lagar de Pintos
Located in Salnes, the family has been producing since 1887. Part of the Domaine is set up like a museum to show what it was like then, barrels of wine fermenting in the kitchen, that sort of thing. But Marta, an oatmeal colored girl,thin with large orbular eyes, blue and serious took us to taste the wines. She does quite a bit of cash cow wines, didn't taste them, so I can't comment, and then the Lagar de Pintos.
Marta had been making wine, like Todd, since 2003. She doesn't yeast but she does feed the buggers, if the chemistry indicates the organisms needs a boost. She also cools the grapes down quite a bit to 3 degree c. for 36 hours, and then destems and presses. She fiddles with the fine lees---20% of the wine rests on them, the others are separated. No matter what she does, the chick can make wine. The 2007, which seems to be a lovely vintage all around was deep and breathy, almost vermentino in its orange, and was quite juicy. With the acidity to match. Regarding her 2008, she said, it was the first vintage that made her cry. But I liked it. I love that wet wool quality and kind of edgy minerality. "It could be good to leave it there for a few years." she said. And I bet she does. On this trip I met people like Marta and Todd who are not in a rush to get the wine to market if more time is needed. We tasted the '09. and it was still extremely primary, bubblegum, cinnamon with a touch of silver.
The big treat was the 1994. For the occasion, her father Jose, came to taste with us. I've often called albarino the muscadet of Spain and this wine is why. Shit. That was lovely stuff. As we tasted it Marta said, "I was 17 when this was made. I didn't know or care about anything other than boys and clothes."
Meanwhile her dad was making a spectacular wine. Tasted now, it had a deep color from age, caramel, toast, almond and oxidized lemon cream and acidity that made me dimple. It was like an old house that had been opened up to wash itself in spring air.
Did you ever read Hudson River Bracketed? This, my favorite Edith Wharton novel, has a scene where Vance Weston enters the old house, he is just about to meet Halo for the first time --she's reading in the houses library. I can feel the humidity from melting snow and the lilacs about to bloom and the dust seeping out into the forest. I loved that little wine and was so happy, albarino, good albarino can age like muscadet.
Ah, what would the wine be like if the DO didn't require cold stabilization and ultra filtration? This fiasco started with the 1990 vintage because of the zero tolerance approach to sediment.
It seems to me that abarino could develop a terrific marketing program; Calling all acid freaks! Of course that would mean it would have to be unfashionable to remove the acidity from the wine. An honest albarino is a lovely thing to uphold and it seems to me that the DO of Rias Baixas doesn't offer the wine much credibility for quality.
It was 4pm and we almost missed lunch. In a panic, Honorio called a nearby restaurant and pre ordered. The food was simple. The freshest clams and sea snails and boiled octopus in all of its ink, salad for me --perfect tender greens. An unbelievable sole, Honorio dissected it perfectly. And the best surprise of all, the 'illega'l red wine of the area--Tinto de Barrantes. The wine is traditionally served in ceramic cups, which create a 'flower' as you drink, I imagine there's a flower reading tradition like one with tea leaves.
But we sipped in conventional glass.
The wine, the hybrid Folla Redonda arrived in an unlabeled bottle. It was 8% alcohol or so, tart and just delightful. I think it reminded me of the first time I had a dry Freisa. Tart and pippy. And illegal.
This is an excellent address for warmth, deliciousness and authenticity.
Tío Benito+34 986 710 287
Avenida de Bouza Martín 4
Barrantes, Pontevedra, Spain
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