You’ve probably heard the pitch here, but it’s important enough that it bears repeating: Albariño has skyrocketed to global success as a grape and a representation of the fresh, bright alternatives hailing from Galicia (aka “Green Spain”), but it’s also become a victim of said success with large scale, industrial players moving in and many prestigious estates raising prices significantly. However, there are still small, family owned estates like Monte Pío who can make pitch perfect Albariño from Val do Salnés–the heart of the heart of the top production zone. One taste of this exuberant, saline beauty was all I needed to restore my faith in the glories of this suddenly famous wine region. The price is nice, and the wine itself is everything you want in warm weather refreshment. Buy this by the case!
Albariño is grown throughout Galicia, aka “Green Spain,” but as we’ve preached on numerous occasions, the very best expressions are all found in vineyards growing very close to the Atlantic just north of the border with Portugal, near the ancient city of Pontevedra. This area is known as Rías Baixas, and it is divided into five subregions. All the subregions can produce excellent wines, but almost everyone (farmers, winemakers, critics, us) agrees that Val do Salnés is the most important and has the highest potential for greatness. This is due to the fact that the vines sit on a bedrock of granite covered by sand and, as the name “Salnés” suggests, some of the vineyards sit just above ancient salt flats. If you like maritime wine that is loaded with saline minerals then this is your happy place; but those same conditions make it cold and damp, and increase disease pressure, which in turn makes farming here treacherous and laborious. The good news is that also means that most of the big, industrial scale wineries stay away from the Val do Salnés.
Although wine grapes have been growing in the Rías Baixas for centuries, it was only in the early 1980s that the region began to modernize its wine production, and they didn’t receive official DO recognition until 1988. Without the benefits of official recognition, farming and winemaking in this westernmost outpost was definitely not a proven path to success back in 1979 when José María Martinez established his small estate in the Val do Salnés. It was hard work with little initial return on investment, but over the years this small estate added a few more parcels and today it is José’s grandson, Pablo, who is at the helm of the family business.
Pablo is a very dedicated farmer, and has overseen the full conversion to organic farming since he returned to the estate after a brief career in accounting. He is very much of the mind that wine is mostly made in the vineyard, and then in the cellar he allows that pristine fruit and terroir to do the talking. The 2022 was aged in mostly stainless steel tanks (80%) with a portion going into ancient style terracotta “pots.” The wine spends four months on the lees before bottling which adds textbook texture to the bright, sunny energy. Serve nice and cool in all-purpose glasses and you’ll be all set for a rush of rock, sand, and salty sea breezes, along with crunchy green apple, white peach, Key lime, raw almond, honeysuckle, and a touch of wet moss. Super fresh seafood is the most obvious route for food pairings here, but I also love it with anything fresh out of the fryer–like Spanish style calamari. However you pair it, or just enjoy it by itself on the beach or in the backyard, this is wine that will keep you engaged all summer long!
