For years now, I’ve waited for the wider wine world to catch onto the magic of Ribeiro. Since SommSelect’s inception, we’ve sung the praises of Spain’s verdant northwest corner, steadfast in our belief that its complex, savory white wines rival the best of Alsace, the Loire, and yes, even Burgundy. “Atlántico” from Bodegas El Paraguas is the latest piece of evidence in the yearslong case we’ve been making, a stunning combination of luxurious texture, mellow orchard/stone fruits, and an inimitable seaside saltiness that stands with the best.
The Spanish wine cognoscenti already know just how special this bottle is: “El Paraguas Atlántico” has twice been named the best white wine in all of Spain, and it’s a linchpin of Michelin-starred wine lists there. Yet, Ribeiro somehow still hasn’t quite made it mainstream this side of the Atlantic. Accordingly, its price tag is a fraction of what similarly top-flight bottles from more famous appellations demand, and, I’d argue, what it deserves. If you dream of having a cellar bursting with the absolute best wine experiences your precious dollars can buy, load up!
Bodegas El Paraguas’ very existence is a testament to the distinctiveness of Ribeiro. It was founded by Marcial Pita, a Spanish wine writer, and fourth-generation winemaker Felicísimo Pereira. When, after years of sitting on wine panels together and choosing the same wines as their favorites, they decided to start a winery together in 2011. These two, having traveled and tasted the best bottles from every corner of the country, could’ve set up shop anywhere. They chose Ribeiro, and it’s not hard to see why—like us, they were drawn to the magisterial beauty and logic-defying freshness found in the white wines of the region.
Of course, there’s also the terroir. Located in Spain’s “green” corner of Galicia, Ribeiro sits just north of the Portuguese border. Pita and Pereira have chosen to farm sites only with granite soils, the same found in great white wine regions like Muscadet, Corsica, and the Northern Rhône. While the world-famous Albariño and Godello grapes make appearances here, it’s the Treixadura variety that takes center stage in the best Ribeiro blends. Treixadura is often picked early to make zippy, albeit innocuous, whites across the border in Vinho Verde. But when planted in the right sites, and treated with the respect Pita and Pereira lavish upon it, it can make some truly profound bottles. Surrounded by heat-trapping mountains yet buffeted by winds off the nearby Atlantic Ocean, the best Treixaduras combine sappy Meditteranean weight with seaborne freshness.
The “El Paraguas Atlántico” 2020 contains 87% Treixadura, 10% Godello, and 3% Albariño. The two varieties fermented spontaneously and separately in stainless steel with malolactic blocked to preserve freshness. They were then blended and aged in a mixture of stainless steel and used 600L barrels. Treat it like white Burgundy: in a wide bowl around 55 degrees. The nose positively exudes class, a commingling of creamed pear flesh, pear skin, red apple core, white peach, honeysuckle, greengage plum, rock salt, orange oil, crushed chalk, and seaspray. It’s a meditative and textural experience on the palate, caressing in its breadth with a zip of fresh citrus acidity that brings the incredibly long finish to a refreshing close. If great Meursault or Vouvray Sec sends shivers down your spine as it does ours, “El Paraguas Atlántico” needs to be in your rotation. Just hope the rest of the world doesn’t catch on before you can grab a case!
