Bodegas Albamar
The Albariños of Bodegas Albamar are some of the most extraordinary expressions of the grape we have come across. Why? Well because his vines are down by the bay of course! If his vines were any closer to the sea their roots would be growing oysters, which are abundant in the waters here. No joke.Bodegas Albamar is in the small fishing village of Cambados in the northeastern Spanish province of Galicia. Xurxo Alba grew up here as did many generations before him. His family keeps their business small and humble. When he was a child, Xurxo’s father lost his job as a bricklayer. He chose to lean into the land for a living and made simple wines sold in bulk without labels from his family’s furancho- a Galician type tavern/shop where you can buy local specialties, bulk wine, and enjoy a tasty omelette. Xurxo had grander plans in store. After studying oenology he understood more clearly how special his family’s holdings are and began the tricky task of convincing his father to change a few of the ways he did things. In 2006 Xurxo became the head of his family’s estate which they named Albamar; a combination of their surname and the Spanish word for the sea. In the vineyard Xurxo makes a slow progression towards more sustainable farming. However he gets plenty of pushback not just from his father, who insists that the priority is that the vineyard looks pretty, but also from the environment. Galicia is a grey, wet corner of Spain that doesn’t play nice with winemaker’s more natural farming inclinations. However Xurxo has made more headway towards natural farming than almost any other winemaker in the region. That philosophy extends to the cellar where fermentation is always spontaneous and intervention is seldom.
What importer Skurnik Wines has to say about this wine...
100% AlbariñoHand harvestedSpontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, partially in neutral oakAged 6 months in stainless steel tank
Details
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Grape Variety
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Vintage
2023
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Size
750ml
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Farming Practice
Sustainable
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Style
Crisp , Herbaceous , Minerally
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Sweetness
Dry
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Body
Light Bodied