This is the time of year that we celebrate the Festival of Albariño in Cambados (the spiritual home of our beloved grape variety). 2013 is the 61st time that the event has been held and it runs for four days from 1st – 4th August. For perhaps the second or third time at the festival, the D.O. have opened their doors to the ‘Tunnel of Wine’ tasting. Many of you reading this will already understand the concept of a tasting tunnel, but for those who don’t it is actually very simple. The tunnel comprises a series of tables containing rows of opened bottles, each bottle accompanied by a fiche technique (cheat sheet) giving details of how each wine is vinified. It is entirely self-service and so each taster is able to work at their own pace, but more importantly, completely unhindered, allowing the taster to concentrate completely on the task in hand. This year there are 114 wines on show and so it’s an ideal opportunity to assess the progress of many of the wines in our denomination – all under one roof.

I should mention that there is a 15 Euro entry fee, which is perhaps designed to deter some from taking advantage and simply turning the tunnel into a subsidised drinking session. This is a professional tasting and completely separate from the main fiesta which enjoys much more of an informal party atmosphere. For me at least, the tunnel is a much better option.

Today’s photo is lifted from the Facebook page of the Rias Baixas D.O. and shows Angela and myself hard at work doing what we do best – tasting wine. Please note my ‘trendy’ t-shirt “Keep calm and drink albariño” – good advice I think!

This is the time of year that we celebrate the Festival of Albariño in Cambados (the spiritual home of our beloved grape variety). 2013 is the 61st time that the event has been held and it runs for four days from 1st – 4th August. For perhaps the second or third time at the festival, the D.O. have opened their doors to the ‘Tunnel of Wine’ tasting. Many of you reading this will already understand the concept of a tasting tunnel, but for those who don’t it is actually very simple. The tunnel comprises a series of tables containing rows of opened bottles, each bottle accompanied by a fiche technique (cheat sheet) giving details of how each wine is vinified. It is entirely self-service and so each taster is able to work at their own pace, but more importantly, completely unhindered, allowing the taster to concentrate completely on the task in hand. This year there are 114 wines on show and so it’s an ideal opportunity to assess the progress of many of the wines in our denomination – all under one roof.

I should mention that there is a 15 Euro entry fee, which is perhaps designed to deter some from taking advantage and simply turning the tunnel into a subsidised drinking session. This is a professional tasting and completely separate from the main fiesta which enjoys much more of an informal party atmosphere. For me at least, the tunnel is a much better option.

Today’s photo is lifted from the Facebook page of the Rias Baixas D.O. and shows Angela and myself hard at work doing what we do best – tasting wine. Please note my ‘trendy’ t-shirt “Keep calm and drink albariño” – good advice I think!