Terras Gauda O Rosal Albarino Blend 2017
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James
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This is the perfect blend of the best native Rias Baixas varieties. A greenish-yellow in color, this wine has a generous nose of ripe peach and orange peel, white flower and baked apple; the mouth is round with hints of minerality and honey. This wine finishes crisp and clean revealing its stunning structure and balance in acidity.
Blend: 70%Albarino, 20% Caino Blanco, 10% Loureira
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A powerful Rias Baixas with ripe-pear character that has enough acidity to hold this bold wine right on track. Long, crisp, lemony finish.
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Wine Spectator
Crisp and lively. Bright citrusy acidity drives green apple, quince and lime flavors in this fresh white, while a briny note adds interest. A touch of spritz accentuates the acidity, keeping the minerally finish fresh and clean. Albariño, Caino Bianco and Loureiro.
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From a private initiative and spurred by the setting-up of Viñedos do Rosal and Adegas das Eiras. the founding partners’ original dream of making a firm commitment to O Rosal wines began to be realised. He winery’s philosophy was that Albariño, being such a noble variety, could benefit greatly from a union with other native strains to provide it with subtle new qualities and so further enhance the already strong reputation of O Rosal wines.
Over the years, the original two companies have merged into one, called - logically, given the prestige and recognition achieved by our leading brand - Bodegas Terras Gauda, meaning "joyous land."
Bright and aromatic with distinctive floral and fruity characteristics, Albariño has enjoyed a surge in popularity and an increase in plantings over the last couple of decades. Thick skins allow it to withstand the humid conditions of its homeland, Rías Baixas, Spain, free of malady, and produce a weighty but fresh white. Somm Secret—Albariño claims dual citizenship in Spain and Portugal. Under the name Alvarinho, it thrives in Portugal’s northwestern Vinho Verde region, which predictably, borders part of Spain’s Rías Baixas.
Named after the rías, or estuarine inlets, that flow as far as 20 miles inland, Rías Baixas is an Atlantic coastal region with a cool and wet maritime climate. The entire region claims soil based on granite bedrock, but the inlets create five subregions of slightly different growing environments for its prized white grape, Albariño.
Val do Salnés on the west coast is said to be the birthplace of Albariño; it is the coolest and wettest of all of the regions. Having been named as the original subregion, today it has the most area under vine and largest number of wineries.
Ribeira do Ulla in the north and inland along the Ulla River is the newest to be included. It is actually the birthplace of the Padrón pepper!
Soutomaior is the smallest region and is tucked up in the hills at the end of the inlet called Ria de Vigo. Its soils are light and sandy over granite.
O Rosal and Condado do Tea are the farthest south in Rías Baixas and their vineyards actually cover the northern slopes of the Miño River, facing the Vinho Verde region in Portugal on its southern bank.
Albariño gives this region its fame and covers 90% of the area under vine. Caiño blanco, Treixadura and Loureira as well as occasionally Torrontés and Godello are permitted in small amounts in blends with Albariño. Red grapes are not very popular but Mencía, Espadeiro and Caiño Tinto are permitted and grown.