Do Ferreiro Adina 2024

Bodegas Gerardo Mendez farms in the heart of the Salnes valley in Rias Baixas, on an estate where vines have grown since 1850, now worked by the third generation. Adina stands apart because its 45-year-old Albarino vines are planted on red slate, a soil unusual for this Atlantic corner of Galicia where granite and sand dominate. The old vines and the slate give the wine more depth and grip than the regional norm, while the cool, wet maritime climate and the traditional trellised, pergola-trained vines keep the fruit fresh and the acidity high. Most of the crop is trained high in the Galician manner to lift the bunches away from the damp ground and aid ripening. The wine is aged nine months on its lees in stainless steel, a longer lees contact than usual for the region, which broadens the texture and adds a fine creaminess while preserving the salty, citrus drive. It is pale straw in the glass, with white peach, lemon and green apple on the nose over white flowers. The palate is dry and saline, with bright acidity and a stony finish. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees.