Pazo Barrantes La Comtesse 2018
114.95€ (Inc. VAT bot. 75 cl.) / Spain
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 La Comtesse comes from a vineyard called Cacheiro, 1.4 hectares of their oldest vines (planted in 1965) that deliver lower yields and aim to showcase the aging potential of Albariño. The destemmed grapes were slowly and softly pressed in a pneumatic press, and the juice was let to settle and put to ferment in a 3,000-liter oak vat for some 60 days. The wine was kept in that vat for 12 months, the first two with lees, and then it matured in concrete for a further 12 months before bottling. It has 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.4 with seven grams of tartaric acid per liter, very good parameters for a great vintage. It has a bright golden color and a perfumed, complex and elegant nose, with depth and nuance with the complexity of time, moving away from the primary aromas and high acidity of the younger wines. The oak is neatly integrated (the oak is used, and they have reduced the time in oak by two months), and the wine has mellow acidity. It's velvety and elegant, clean, pungent and precise, sharp and electric, very fresh. It has complexity and youth, balance and ingredients to develop in bottle. Time is on its side. 6,672 bottles and 200 magnums were produced. It was bottled in April 2021. It was not released until June 2023, after a good couple of years in bottle. Prices have increased.
Features
Type of wine
Pairings
Style
Occasions
Winery
Size
Appellation
Alcohol
13.5%
Grapes
Serving
Between 8ºC and 10ºC
Winemaking
Fermented in French oak foudres of 3,000 litres for 60 days. Aged for 12 months in 3,000-litre French oak foudres and a further 12 months in concrete tanks in contact with its lees.
Description
Pazo Barrantes La Comtesse is much more than an Albariño. It is a wine that captures the essence of the Salnés Valley, transporting us to its landscape of Atlantic breezes and centuries-old vineyards. Behind this marvel is the Creixell family, the same people who have given us great wines under the Marqués de Murrieta label. With Pazo Barrantes La Comtesse, they wanted to give a more sophisticated and profound twist to Albariño, and they have succeeded.
This wine comes from a small gem of a vineyard: Pago Cacheiro, a plot of just 1.4 hectares planted in 1965. Its secret lies in the granitic soils, which give it a subtle but unmistakable minerality, and in a climate that caresses the grapes with cool nights and mild days, allowing them to ripen slowly, concentrating their essence without losing freshness.
Winemaking
If anything defines Pazo Barrantes La Comtesse, it is its patience. First, the grapes are harvested by hand, selecting each cluster with almost artisan care. Then, the must is decanted by flotation, a gentle process that avoids oxidation and keeps the aromatic purity intact. But here comes the special part: it is fermented over a low heat for 85 days in 3,000-litre French oak vats. Afterwards, it rests in the same vats for 12 months, with a subtle play of lees that gives it creaminess and depth. Finally, it spends another year in concrete, refining its textures without interference. A long process, but worth every second.
Taste
Pazo Barrantes La Comtesse is not your typical Albariño. From the first sip, it envelops you with its silky texture and its balance between volume and freshness. The aromas are a journey in themselves: orange peel, quince, a touch of fennel and that touch of eucalyptus that makes it so special. On the palate, there is a play between elegance and intensity: the ripe fruit blends with a subtle minerality, leaving a lingering finish with a slight salinity that invites you to keep drinking.
It goes well with refined dishes: caviar, seafood such as spider crab or even grilled monkfish with a touch of lemon thyme. But it is also one of those wines that you can enjoy on its own, on a quiet afternoon, letting each sip tell its own story.
Shipping to Peninsular Spain
FREE shipping on orders over 200.00€ or for 18 bottles or more in 6-bottle multiples (24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54 and 60 bottles)Estimated transit time: 2-3 working days.
| Bottles | Price | Over 200.00€ |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | 6.90€ | 0.00€ (-6.90€) |
| 7-12 | 6.90€ | 0.00€ (-6.90€) |
| 13-17 | 12.90€ | 0.00€ (-12.90€) |
| 18 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| 19-23 | 15.90€ | 0.00€ (-15.90€) |
| 24 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| 25-29 | 19.80€ | 0.00€ (-19.80€) |
| 30 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| 31-35 | 22.90€ | 0.00€ (-22.90€) |
| 36 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| 37-41 | 26.90€ | 0.00€ (-26.90€) |
| 42 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| 43-47 | 28.90€ | 0.00€ (-28.90€) |
| 48 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| 49-53 | 33.90€ | 0.00€ (-33.90€) |
| 54 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| 55-59 | 35.90€ | 0.00€ (-35.90€) |
| 60 | Free | 0.00€ (Free) |
| VAT included | ||
