Pazo Barrantes Albariño La Comtesse (Marqués de Murrieta)

Comtesse Cepas Viejas er som Pazo Barrantes' almindelige Albariño lavet på 100% Albariño fra Val do Salnés i Galiciens Rías Baixas. Til forskel fra lillesøsteren kommer druerne til Comtesse fra ældre vinstokke, der leverer et mindre udbytte men tilgengæld også større smagsintensitet. I vinhuset er den endvidere gæret på franske egetræsfade med efterfølgende 12 måneders lagring, heraf de 6 sur-lie sammen med gærresterne for øget viskositet og kompleksitet.

I glasset kommer det til udtryk i en flot gylden og klar farve, der leverer intense duftnoter af citronskal, sevilla-appelsiner, gul tropisk frugt, pærer, forårsblomster, honning, flint og ristet surdejsbrød. Albariñodruens friske syre og mineralske tekstur sikrer på tungen en god friskhed og et let saltet præg. Sammen med en smule bitterhed og fylde fra fadet bidrager dette til en rank og kompleks eftersmag, og som Robert Parker har udtalt om tidligere årgange: If you want to combine Albariño grape with oak, this is the way to do it.

Comtesse er i særdeleshed en madvin og gør sig følgeligt flot, når skaldyr, hvid fisk og squash har været en tur på grillen og toppes med urter og frisk citron. Prøv den også til ost - f.eks. Vesterhavsost eller Manchego eller blandede tapas, og servér ved 10-12 grader inden 2030.

95 point - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"The 2017 La Comtesse has been a vin de garde since its initial vintage of 2009. It comes from a small plot, the 1.4-hectare Pago Cacheiro, of the oldest (50 years) and lowest-yielding vines on the Pazo de Barrantes property. The destemmed grapes from the hand-harvested bunches were pressed slowly by a pneumatic press. The juice was let to settle and then fermented in 3,000-liter French (Allier) oak vats at 10 degrees Celsius for 60 days. The wine was kept in the oak vats for 15 months, five of them with the lees. After that time, it was transferred to concrete vats where it matured for a further 13 months. Like its younger sibling, the élevage was extended with the idea of increasing the age-worthiness of the bottled wine. It's 13.5% alcohol, with a pH of 3.4 and 6.2 grams of tartaric acid per liter of wine. It has a very expressive nose, and curiously enough, this is more fruit driven than the Gran Vino Albariño, which is more balsamic. This is a very harmonious Albariño that has varietal character and is impressive and young, without the creamy character of some previous vintages. It's vibrant and has a citrus touch on the palate that reflects a very fresh wine, but at the same time, it's polished and has a soft texture. 8,560 bottles were filled in April 2020."

93 point - James Suckling
"A perfumed nose of white peaches, lemon curd, apples, jasmine, green olives and sea breeze. It’s medium-bodied with bright, tangy acidity. So flavorful and fruity with a mineral, salty edge. Some spiciness, too. Long. Drink now."