Galicia Wine

Our Professional Review 

Oscar Garcia of 67Wine.com | Bodegas Chaves have been making wines since the 1950's with only Estate grown grapes. Their attention to detail is unrivaled. Tasting Notes: The 2022 vintage of Somm Series Albarino shows an enticing nose of tropical fruit: pineapple and passion fruit. Medium body with loads of freshness and crisp acidity. Green apples, white peaches and kiwi on the palate with a hint of salinity. Sensational finish. Pair with your favorite Spring and Summer Salads. - 

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | This medium-yellow wine has a nose of pineapple and passion fruit. Vibrant acidity and white peach, mango, grapefruit and honeysuckle flavors sail into a floral-scented finish. 

Winemaker Description 

Zesty, mineral, citrus, salty and solid, with ample fruit.   This is not a retiring white.   In the mouth it is balanced, with notes of peaches, green apples, and tropical fruit.  Even with it's structure is has a soft texture in the mouth followed by a very clean tangy finish.

Benito Santos is a central figure in the modern history of Albariño and the Rías Baixas D.O. He began working in his grandfather’s vineyards in the 1930s and made wine for serving in his bar – wines that repeatedly won prizes in the annual Fiesta de Albariño in Cambados. He was instrumental in the creation of the Rías Baixas D.O. in the 1980s. The current owners now farm three vineyards in the Val do Salnés subzone of Rías Baixas, each of which is next to and named after an ancient church: Saiar, Bemil, and Xoan. All of the vineyards are now certified organic – a rarity in rainy, mildew-prone Rías Baixas – and winemaking uses only native yeasts and minimal sulfur. Benito Santos wines are salty, mineral, and structured, with ample fruit but none of the overly tropical flavors of many industrially-produced Albariños.

91 Points James Suckling | Tangy and bright with lime citrus and seashells on the nose. Chalky and zesty palate with a medium body and a bone-dry and deliciously saline finish. Drink now.

91 Points Wine Spectator | A linear white, with good drive and focus to flavors of Mandarin orange, wild strawberry, grated ginger and fresh tarragon. Though svelte in form, there's a light, pleasing plushness to texture, working well with the mouthwatering acidity and briny base note. Albariño, Caiño and Loureiro. Drink now through 2028.

Aromas of mandarin, orange peel and ripe melon intermingle with subtle minerality and notes of orange blossom. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review

92 Points The Wine Advocate | Many producers consider José Luis Mateo to be the finest grape grower in Galicia. He is relentless in his search for excellence and is often unhappy with the results even when you think the wines are amazing. In fact, his wines are amazing, without a doubt the finest of Monterrei, and they transcend the appellation and find themselves among the finest wines from Galicia and from Spain” 

Critic Notes

Luis Gutierrez writes:  The Albariño 2023 El Jardín de Lucía was produced by Zarate mixing grapes from different villages in Salnés, Meaño and Meis. It has an expressive nose that mixes white flowers and apples and is quite fresh and elegant. It has a moderate 12.5% alcohol, some more leesy aromas and a round palate, with pungent flavors and a gentle texture.  It was bottled in May 2024.  Drinking 2024 to 2027.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92

El Jardín de Lucía Albariño boasting lifted and intense ripe citrus and stone fruit aromas, a vibrant and textural palate, and a complex finish with crisp acidity and a refreshing saline twist. Perfectly pairs with fresh white crab, seabass, squid and sardines.

Expertly crafted with aging potential, Narupa ALAL Abarino Rias Baixas 2018 is not your typical Albarino. Its great body and acidity, along with notes of dark citrus fruit, create a unique and enjoyable mouthfeel. Elevate your experience with this exceptional 750ml bottle.

Winemkaker Description

The grapes are collected from vineyards on the slopes of the Verin Valley. It is a fragrant, light, very fruity and delicate wine, an outstanding example of the Galician Mencía variety.

Winemaker Description

Chansélus is a unique, minuscule production red (112 cases total!!!) from the prestigious Ribeiro D.O. which is more known for its world-class whites. Bernardo Estevez makes this field blend of Brancellao, Souson, Caino da Terra, Carabuneira, Trincadeira, Ferrol, Tinta Amarela, Caino Bravo, Caino Longo, Mencia, etc... from the 3 hectares of vines that he owns in 5 different sub-regions. 

He manages his vineyards personally following organic and biodynamic practices as laid out by Masanobu Fukuoka and he even brews his own natural treatments in his kitchen.

The wine is herbaceous and balanced with crisp acid, moderate tannins, fresh wild berry flavors and pronounced minerality from the sandy, granitic soils of Ribeiro. Pairs wonderfully with Galician pork sausages, smoked ham or sheep's milk cheese from the Pyrenees to the North.

Winemaker Description

Enticing aromas of blackberry and fresh thyme mingle with hints of rose petal, cardamom, and sumac. Juicy forest fruits and black cherry on the palate are complemented by spice and floral notes, with a slate-like minerality, fresh acidity, and well balanced tannins.

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 92 Points | This flashy red shows appeal with a glossy texture that encases the blackberry reduction, steeped black cherry, mocha and licorice flavors, with accents of black olive, dried rose petal and smoke. A distinctive style. Drink now through 2027. 250 cases imported.