2018 Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas

Check out the oldest vines in the world (pictured below)

If there was ever any doubt in your mind whether old vines matter, just try a bottle of this.  These vines are a one-acre plot of Albariño named Cepas Vellas, in the Salinas zone of Rias Baixas, Galicia, Spain.

The resulting wine is, without a doubt, explosive: right from the cork pull, a massive aroma fills the room with lemon zest, oceanic salt spray, tangerines, neroli, grilled shrimp, kombu, granite and evergreen trees moistened by coastal rain.

But even more amazing, this wine is not “flashy.”  Meaning it’s not oaked up, it’s not juiced up with residual sugar, it’s not put in a pressurized evaporator / concentrator to make it bigger.  It’s just old vines with such an extraordinarily low yield that the flavors of the fruit are intense and beautiful.

This beauty continues on the palate: It’s lean and elegant, not zingy and overly acidic. The wine is graceful, lively, and refreshing.  The flavors echo the nose, and if you want to explore, there is much to explore.  But if you want to just pound it with a bowl of mussels, it’s extraordinary.

Do Ferreiro is run by third-generation winemaker Gerardo Mendez.  If you are wondering about the name, Gerardo’s grandfather was an ironworker – and ferrous / ferreiro means iron.

While there are many Albariño on the market, Gerardo believes that it is in Salinas (one of three major sub-zones of Rias Baixas) where the vines give you the acidity – and therefore the age-ability – to make great Albariño.

I have to admit, I am pretty pumped about this wine. And you should be too. Yes, its not the cheapest wine in the world. However, the extraordinary quality is there. Further, we haven’t offered since the 2013 vintage. This is our one and only shot. Don’t miss yours.