Hello my dear friends! This is a very special Wednesday as we have officially become brand ambassadors of the highly acclaimed Viña Almirante, a winery that today is present in more than 20 countries. Without a doubt, we feel honored by such opportunity and as usual, we will work hard to contribute to the legacy of José Esteves, founder of Viña Almirante.
José, who in his early years did not envision his life as a winegrower, was nevertheless destined to this path. The story of the winery begins with Jose’s grandfather, who owned a farm in Cuba which was unscrupulously expropriated by Castro after the triumph of his revolution. The grandfather and his son fled to Spain in the 1960s, leaving behind Jose’s uncle who disappeared soon after they left. José grew up in Rías Baixas and although eventually he started a career as a labor lawyer, always loved the vineyard atmosphere. As a matter of fact, at a point, he became a very talented home-winemaker while testing varietals and different traditional techniques. His creations then improved significantly, so much so that friends and family insisted on telling him to follow his natural vocation.
Fortunately, in 2002, when a beautiful hillside vineyard came up for sale, he found an investor partner and jumped to it. This was a life-changing event, a realization of his greatest dream: restoring the once stolen land to his beloved family. José has expressed that he felt intimidated for the big dive he was getting himself into and at the same time, propelled by the family history. Nowadays he owns 35 hectares of vines, all on the slopes; and he is still totally hands on producing wonderful wines out of his 7500 cases collected every year.
Located in Portas (Galicia), in the Umia Valley, Viña Almirante is privileged by the banks of the Chaín River. The winery sits on an enclave with its own geographical and meteorological conditions which largely marks the character of the vineyards. They also have a small percentage of vineyards in the heart of Salnes Valley, a reality that allows them to work with many possibilities and vinify very personal wines.
Some of the brands that we will be soon representing include Viña Almirante, Maccerato, Mar Adentro and the unique Vicius.
Viña Almirante is made from Albariño, is elegant, with a fruity character, fresh and delicate. Every year they harvest the grape as late as possible, taking risks, giving the vineyard time to deliver a grape to its maximum expression. The selection, carried out by hand, is a careful work that culminates with a cold skin maceration.
Maccerato is a tribute to the illustrious ancestor, mathematician and geographer Domingo Fontán. This wine is defined by the essence of the land where it is produced. Its balance and complexity speak for themselves. The time and care used throughout its production process, are also outstanding. On the nose is intense, with a marked varietal character (100% Albariño). It gives off fresh aromas with green fruity notes, highlighting tones of citrus and white stone fruit, as well as hints of lemon, verbena and mint. The wine offers moderate acidity on the palate, balanced salinity with a long finish.
Mar Adentro feels and smells like the sea. This is now the only (100%) Godello in our portfolio. It shows a pale-yellow color, with hints of lemon. It's shiny, clean and very elegant. It feels passionate on the nose, with floral and citrus notes of orange blossom and lemon. It brings lots of freshness, with a soft and light texture. Its balanced acidity and fruity taste translate in an excellent tenacity.
Vicius, simply put, is an exceptional wine, winner of Acio Prata Catas de Galicia 2020 as the best Albariño D.O. Rías Baixas in barrel. Vicius results of hand-selected grapes fermented in new French oak barrels of medium toast. It then ages for a period of three months. Twice a day, during this period, bâtonage is applied. Bâtonage is a French term that refers to the stirring of settled lees back into wine. To remind you, “lees” are the sediment of winemaking, usually made up of dead yeast and bits of grape seeds and solids. Winemakers sometimes like to keep some of these solids in contact with the wine to extract flavor, aroma and texture. The solids can then be filtered before bottling, or the wine can be racked, leaving the solids behind. After barrel fermentation and bâtonage, Vicious spends seven additional months in stainless inert tanks prior to bottling. To the palate it feels ample and dense, with an integrated acidity and a lengthy persistence that turn its aftertaste into a lingering memory, the memory of the sea...
And that's a wrap for today my friends!
We cannot wait to taste these wines with you! Let's meet here next Wednesday, until then... Santé!
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