Albamar Alma de Mar 2024

Albamar is the project of Xurxo Alba, who works small plots of Albariño in Cambados, at the heart of Rías Baixas in Galicia. This is Atlantic Spain, cool, wet and green, where granite soils and constant sea breeze give the wine its salinity and bright acidity. The name Alma de Mar, soul of the sea, sums up the style. The grapes are farmed with respect for the land, and the wine is rested eight months in stainless steel, longer than the regional norm, which lets it settle and gain a little breadth while keeping the fruit clean and the oak absent. That extended tank time softens the youthful edge without dulling the freshness Albariño is prized for. The colour is pale lemon. The nose shows white peach, apricot, lemon and a saline, faintly floral note. The palate is dry and crisp, medium bodied, the stonefruit carried by a briny, mineral finish that speaks of the coast. Serve well chilled at 8 to 10 degrees. It is a natural partner for shellfish, grilled white fish and oily fish such as sardines, and stands up to fresh salads and seafood rice.