Rías Baixas is a region celebrated, not only for its exceptional wines, but also for its top-notch winemakers—many of whom are women. Not only does Rías Baixas have about 50% female winemakers, women are involved in all aspects of the industry. In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we asked four industry leaders in the region for their insights on what makes Albariño so special.
“What makes Albariño so special is without a doubt that is a very well-balanced wine, fresh and crisp. It is elegant, citrusy, and full of subtle aromas that invites you to drink. Albariño is versatile and easy to pair with almost any sort of food, which allows you to always find the right time to enjoy it and indulge.” – Katia Alvarez, Martin Códax
“Albariño is one of the most unique varieties in the world due to its aromatic expressiveness and versatile elaboration. Thanks to its marked acidity, we can make young, fresh wines but also work with lees to elaborate more structured and voluminous wines. Albariño adapts very well to elaborations with wood but can maintain its characteristics and even allows aging for more than a year. The ability to elegantly combine fruity and floral aromas in the same glass is one of the most unique characteristics of Albariño in comparison to other varieties. Together with its mineral character, seasoned with the salinity straight from the sea from our coasts, each glass of Albariño is exquisite.”- Cristina Mantilla, Adegas Valmiñor
“Albariño is characterized by being an Atlantic wine, closely linked to our terroir (climate and soil), which gives it unique differentiating elements ideal both for the development of both young wines and aged wines.” – Nuria de la Torre Sayáns, Paco y Lola
“Albariño expresses its greatest potential in the area between the South of Pontevedra and North of Portugal. The Atlantic climate with mild winters and somewhat cool summers, together with acidic soils, help the grapes to maintain balanced acidity tones evident in the wine. In warmer zones, acidity in the grapes is lower influencing the final profile of the wine. The fruitiness of the variety was for many years associated with apple characteristics with added complexity of citrus, stone, and tropical fruit flavors and acacia and other floral notes, such as roses. On the palate, these tasting notes reappear, and together with the acidity, we are able to create a different wine that is very easy to drink and highly enjoyable.” – Luisa Freire, Santiago Ruiz
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