|
The critics echo my sentiment:
94 Points - James Suckling:
"A sophisticated albarino that you need to take seriously. There is almost a Burgundian touch to this..."
94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"It has a beautifully pure, almost crystalline-like profile... love its overall balance, and it's medium-bodied, with a great mid-palate, integrated acidity, and a terrific finish."
92 Points, #70 Top 100 Wines of 2022 - Wine Spectator:
"Sleek and well-knit, with a streak of salinity underscoring a creamy mesh of pink grapefruit, cherry blossom, Marcona almond and blood orange peel flavors that linger on the mouthwatering finish."
If you enjoy exotic and unique Italian white producers such as Ottella and Terlano, or the elegant and mineral-driven French whites from Sancerre to Chablis, you will LOVE these two delicious wines made from native Spanish varieties.
First up, La Cana's "Navia" Albarino. Hailing from the Rias Baixas region in Spain's upper left corner, this is a "serious" and "sophisticated" white, according to reviewer James Suckling. It also comes from importing legend Jorge Ordonez: he was the first person to introduce Albarino to the United States in 1991; when Jorge first traveled to Rías Baixas, the D.O. did not officially exist. What he found was a rich culture of family viticulture and winemaking. Most families had small plots of Albarino planted on pergolas built with posts taken from the mother rock – granite. Most of this Albarino was fermented and aged on the lees in large chestnut foudres. Famously, the grape is so beloved that it used to be the only type of Spanish wine labeled with the grape in larger print than the region!
Named for the straw-like cañas (reeds or canes) that line the shores of the Atlantic inlets that carve into the granite coast of Galicia, the winery’s philosophy is to produce a traditional, authentic, and serious Albarino: traditionally dry-farmed and aged on its lees for twelve months in large chestnut wood barrels.
Next up, Avancia's Old Vine Godello. Sourced from one of the oldest, most traditional vineyards planted in Valdeorras, this wine contains oldest Godello clones in the world. Named for the extensive gold mining that the Romans conducted in this area, (Val-de-Oras roughly translates to Valley-of-Gold in Latin) Valdeorras is home to the finest terroir for growing two of Spain’s most important indigenous grapes – Godello and Mencía.
This was another first for Ordonez: Jorge was the first broker to introduce Godello into the United States, and for many years, was the only merchant offering a wine made from this unique grape. In 2016, Robert Parker, Jr. stated “One of my favorite wineries in Spain is Bodegas Avancia. This is a small estate of roughly 23 acres, dry farmed (a characteristic of all of the selections of Jorge Ordóñez), with organic viticulture. Their specialty is working with the Godello grape, which may well be Spain’s finest indigenous white grape. It has the texture of a Chardonnay, but with crisp, mineral and floral notes in its aromatics. Avancia is certainly the top producer of this intriguing and delicious dry white.” Godello was almost extinct at the end of the 1980's, so it is extremely rare to find a Godello produced from a single vineyard planted in 1904.
Our quantities of these wines are limited and likely to sell out fast, so act fast!
Salud,
—James Tran
| 
