Zelos Albarino, DO Rias Baixas

Description

Zelos Albarino is a white wine from Galicia in Spain and is distributed by Hispano Bodegas. It is made from 100% Albarino grapes.

Hispano Bodegas is a group of three like-minded wineries who united to form a small group selling wines from three of Spain’s most famous wine regions:  Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Rueda. It is 100% Spanish owned. The group consists of Bodegas Valdelacierva in Rioja, Vina Gormaz in Ribera del Duero and Bodegas Grande Winery in Rueda. The group has three main tenets: absolute respect for the vineyard and the terroir to produce the very best grapes to begin with, use of modern technology with respect to the traditions of the past and careful barrel selection in the winery. Their aim is to produce high-quality, terroir driven wines.

Zelos Albarino is the only wine from Hispano Bodegas which comes from outside of the main group of three. It is produced by Vina Cartin which is located in the subzone of Val do Salnes. The winery was founded in 1977 and they have concentrated on producing only Albarino. The vines were planted between 1981 and 1985. In 2003 Vina Cartin relocated to a new winery which allowed them to improve and modernise. Today they have over 49 acres of vineyards, not just in Val do Salnes but also in Vilanova de Arousa, Meis and Portas.

The Albarino grapes for this wine are hand-harvested. The grapes undergo a pre- fermentation maceration at a temperature of 8-12ºC for 12-18 hours to obtain extraction of  desirable aromas. Next the wine is fermented at controlled, cool temperature of 16ºC for 10-15 days. Zelos Albarino also undergoes lees stirring to produce smoothness, complexity and creaminess of texture in the wine.