Bodegas Pentecostés Albariño 2024, DO Rías Baixas, Galicia

Bodegas Pentecostés Albariño comes from Gondomar, in the Miñor Valley at the northern edge of the O Rosal sub-zone of Rías Baixas in Galicia. The vines grow on steep, terraced slopes across three estates centred on Pazo Barreiro, and each plot is worked individually. The grapes are picked by hand into small 15kg crates, given a 12-hour cold maceration, gently destemmed and lightly pressed. After 48 hours of gravity settling, the juice is fermented cool at 14.5°C to keep its aromas, and the wine then rests on its lees for six months, which adds texture and weight.

In the glass it is clean and pale yellow with green hints. The nose is intense and expressive, with tropical fruit and white flowers. The palate pairs bright, refreshing acidity with a round, weighty texture, and has a salty, focused edge typical of this Atlantic coast. The finish is long and fresh.

Serve chilled, at around 8–10°C. It is a natural partner for shellfish, garlic prawns, grilled sardines, seafood salads, smoked salmon, fish soup and tuna, and it works well with tapas too. Bodegas Pentecostés Albariño is lovely now and will keep well for a few years.

Bodegas Pentecostés is a young Rías Baixas estate in Gondomar, in Galicia’s Miñor Valley, an area at the northern tip of the O Rosal sub-zone where winegrowing had faded over the years. The project was started in 2017 by local businessman Alberto Cabaco, who made his career in Galicia’s fishing industry before returning to his birthplace. His aim was to restore the valley’s vineyards and revive its winemaking tradition. The estate farms three properties around two historic Galician manor houses: the 17th-century Pazo Barreiro and Pazo de Moldes, a 14th-century defensive tower in Mañufe where all the wines are now made, in cellars built underground. Winemaker Jorge Marcote grows the native white grapes of Rías Baixas on steep terraces, giving each plot and exposure its own care.