2020 Granbazan Albarino Limousin Rias Baixas 750 ml

The New York Times asked: “Is Albariño the Next Great White Wine?”

The answer, of course, is a resounding yes—and Granbazán has risen to the top on the strength of their classic terroir—you can see the ocean from their winery—and their forward-thinking attitude in the cellar. 

This revolutionary Galician-coast cuvée displays a stunning Meursault-like richness and depth, thanks to six months of oak aging and years of cellaring in bottle. It’s an attention to detail that sets it apart from the rest of the Rías Baixas pack.

Granbazán, one of the earliest pioneers of aging Albariño in oak, takes no shortcuts in assembling this gorgeously matured wine. For this cuvée, they harvested at the highest elevation of their Tremoedo estate, from low-yielding vines that give off small berries with magnificent concentration. A long maceration helps prepare the juice for a long stay in the cellar, while a year on fine lees gently fleshes out the wine’s lithe physique.Thanks to Albariño’s piercing natural acidity, this wine never loses its nerve, but mellows with time spent in oak barrels sourced from the Limousin region of France. 

On Granbazán’s spectacular 35-acre estate in Val do Salnés, stiff ocean breezes take the sting out of the bountiful Spanish sun, infusing grapes with sea-spray freshness and oyster-shell salinity. The poor soils drain effortlessly, all but eliminating the risk of mildew. Founded in 1981, Granbazán helped move the region’s winemaking into the modern age by pioneering the use of the latest vinification equipment, trained enologists, and techniques like cool fermentation. These measures have awakened the world to the nuances and terroir-specific characteristics of Spain’s best Albariño.