B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
The 93-point 2022 Do Ferreiro Albariño and 96-point 2022 Do Ferreiro Albariño Cepas Vellas are produced by the small family winery in the coastal Rias Baixas region that has long been considered the reference point producer of Albariño. Crafted from old-vine fruit with minimal intervention, they are perennial must-haves among Spanish wine aficionados and fans of singular varietal expressions.
Established in 1973 in the village of Meano in the Salnes subzone of Rias Baixas, Do Ferreiro now consists of 175 small plots of Albariño spread over 11 hectares, with the smallest plot measuring 30 square meters, a result of the parcels once owned by monasteries in the 17th century being sliced into tiny parcels as they were sold off to private parties over the following decades. The vineyards are planted in decomposed granitic soils called sabrego with some of the oldest pre-phylloxera Albariño vines in the region, ranging to over 200 years of age, revealing “great natural concentration, while keeping the freshness” according to the Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutiérrez, a result of the natural protection of mountains near the rugged Atlantic coast, which limits the influence of fog and promotes even ripening of the fruit. Sourced from vines ranging from 20 to 120-plus years old, the enticing, entry-level Albariño is full of crisp, aromatic citrus and stone fruit hinting of sea spray and wild herbs, with bright acidity and chalky minerality on a fresh, harmonious finish. Described by Vinous critic Josh Raynolds as “one of Spain’s finest white wines,” the benchmark, 96-point Cepas Vellas from a single, 1.5-hectare vineyard planted in 1785 in front of the winery is the pinnacle of Albariño expression, revealing deeply intense fruit and mouth-filling richness layered with subtle minerality on a long and lively finish, built to evolve over the next decade and beyond.
The wines of Do Ferreiro annually rank among the upper echelon not just of Rias Baixas, but of Spanish white wine in general, with a fervent cult following that makes them hard to keep in stock. Once you've experienced them, you'll understand why. |