Granbazan Albarino 'Etiqueta Verde' 2023 750ml
Long considered one of the benchmark wineries of the entire Rías Baixas appellation, Granbazán farms 17 hectares of Albariño vines in Val do Salnés, the sub-region of the Rías Baixas which is centered around the town of Cambados. Val do Salnés is the site of the oldest Albariño plantations. It is also the coldest and wettest of the five sub-regions. Grapes are trained in the traditional pergola fashion and soils are based on granite with alluvial topsoil. Granbazán supplements their estate fruit with long-term contracts with smallholders in the area.
Etiqueta Verde, or ‘Green Label,’ is the entry-level offering from Granbazán. The grapes are hand-harvested and de-stemmed before undergoing an 8-hour pre-fermentation maceration which helps to lock in and amplify aromas and structure. Etiqueta Verde is made with a combination of free-run juice and lightly pressed juice. It is fermented with indigenous yeasts in tank and aged on the lees for no less than four months before bottling. This is a classic Salnés Valley style albariño. Dry, very floral, with crisp acidity, and elegant salty aftertaste.
"Aromas of ripe summer peach, lemon zest, wet river rocks and honeysuckle waft from the glass. This wine is full in the mouth and has brilliant acidity. It offers flavors of orange marmalade, peach pie, lemon, and dried herbs de Provence. Editor,s Choice.94 points" The Wine Enthusiast