Bodegas Granbazán, Rías Baixas Albariño “Etiqueta Ámbar” on Sale

Bodegas Granbazán, Rías Baixas Albariño “Etiqueta Ámbar”

The popularity of the racy whites of Rías Baixas, most often exclusively made from Albariño, is unmatched and continues to skyrocket. And within the Rías Baixas DO, great variations in the expression of the grape exist between the three major subregions: Condado do Tea, O Rosal and the Val do Salnés, the latter considered the “motherland” of Albariño and the source of its purest articulations.

Granbazán, founded in 1981, is one of the great properties of the Val do Salnés, with its spectacular château-style manor house and surrounding vineyards looking out toward the Atlantic Ocean. This bottling comes from 35-year-old Albariño vines. The grapes are de-stemmed and cold-macerated and only free-run juice is used for this cuvée. It is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and raised in tank for five months sur lie (on its lees).

In the glass, it displays a straw-gold core with green tints, with aromas of bruised apple, melon, and white peach with echoes of crushed minerals, lemon meringue, citrus blossom, sea salt, and white flowers. The palate is medium-bodied and reflects the nose with added flavors oyster shell, fresh cream, underripe mango, peach, crushed stone, and lime zest. Lusciously intense and textured with a structure reminiscent of Chablis, the finish rides on a beam of laser-sharp acidity.