Rías Baixas grows up

The Albariño of Spain’s Rías Baixas was once a wine to drink young, but now it will last for a decade. What changed, asks Margaret Rand?

5 great buys from Rías Baixas

Bodegas Zarate, El Palomar Albariño 2012

18.5/20pts (95/100pts)

Named after the dovecote in the vineyard, this was almost overbearing in its early youth but is settling down now. It’s fermented in a big old vat but there’s no oak flavour. Lots of structure and concentration. A searching wine, precise and detailed, with complexity.

Price: £23.10 Indigo Wines

Drink 2014-2020

Alc 12.5%

Terras Gauda, La Mar Caíño Blanco 2011

18.5/20pts (95/100pts)

No, not Albariño this one; instead one of the region’s rarer grape varieties. This is concentrated and muscular, with a touch of tannin, and huge character. A big, tight, salty, mineral wine.

Price: £27-£30 Harvey Nichols, Joseph Barnes, Les Caves de Pyrène

Drink 2014-2020

Alc 12.7%

Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes, Albariño 2013

17.5/20pts (91/100pts)

Good ripe citrus fruit and no creaminess from malolactic. Pure, precise, nice weight, lovely elastic texture, salty, aromatic fruit, and plenty of character. Very expressive and graceful.

Price: £14.95-£17.99 Lupe Pinto, Martinez Fine Wines, The Wine Society, Waitrose

Drink 2014-2019

Alc 12.5%

Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2012

17.5/20pts (91/100pts)

Very salty and tight, lovely texture, very fine and elegant with good structure; pure, long, with a typical bitter edge to the finish which adds bite.

Price: £11.95 The Wine Reserve

Drink 2014-2018

Alc 12.5%

Coto Redondo, Señorio de Rubios Albariño 2012

17/20pts (90/100pts)

Salty and mineral nose and palate with very pure, ripe and aromatic fruit. Lovely balance and texture, and again, that nice bitter bite at the end.

Price: £10.75 Yorkshire Vintners

Drink 2014-2018

Alc 12.5%

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