The first vintage of our Barrica wine was produced for the 2000 vintage as a celebration of the new millennium. We select some of the best finished wine from the home vineyards of El Pazo and Castrelo for ageing in Allier French oak barrels. After 6 to 8 months in barrel the wine is tasted, and then “back blended” with a little unoaked wine (if required), in order that the oak flavour does not dominate the delicate albariño fruit.
Denomination of Origin: Rias Baixas
Area of Production: Val do Salnés – the coolest region in the DO
Grape Variety: 100% Albariño
Home Vineyards: Selected grapes from our El Pazo and Castrelo vineyards. Elevation between 50 and 250 metres.
Density of planting: 1100 vines per hectare
Average age of vines: 50 years
Type of training: Mostly `pergola´ – to allow free circulation of air that helps to prevent disease (Our Castrelo vineyard does have some vines trained using the `high cordon´ system)
Soil types: Sandy soils on base of granite and quartz
Climate: Atlantic Maritime – Annual av. temp. 13￮C – Annual av. rainfall 1500mm
Harvesting: By hand, with strict selection in the cellar – only the very best grapes are used for this wine
Pressing: Pneumatic (Vaslin-Bucher)
Temperature control: Thermo regulated stainless steel tanks
Cold stabilisation: Before bottling to prevent formation of tartrate crystals in the bottle
Filtration: Diatomaceous earth and membrane filters
Wine Maker: Angela Martin
Ageing: Specially selected grapes from our best home vineyards are initially vinified in the same way as our regular wine. After fermentation, the wine is transferred into 255 litre ‘Allier’ French oak barrels, where it is aged for between 6 and 8 months. Finally it is blended with a little unoaked wine to adjust the intensity of oak flavour, in order that it does not dominate the fruit.
Tasting note: The intensely fresh citrus fruits of the Albariño grape are infused perfectly with subtle, tight knit, toasted oak flavours. On the palate it is a long, complex wine, illustrating a harmonious balance between fruit, oak and acidity.
Serving: Best served between 9￮ and 12￮C