Marqués De Murrieta La Comtesse de Pazo Barrantes - 2018

An infinite nose where lychee, quince fruit and lemon peel flavours, harmonize gracefully with hints of acacia flowers, fennel and eucalyptus. A minerality edge provides refinement to the whole. Harmonious mouthfeel, its silky texture leads to an endless finish. “The breadth of this wine suggests a development that will continue for decades” María Vargas, Technical Director.

Wine Advocate 96: 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.

James Suckling 95: Very intense and slightly tropical nose with lemon rind, mango, jack fruit and fine lees. A creamy Rias Baixas with vivid pineapple and lemon flavors on the palate, cut through by a tangy streak of fresh acidity. A ripe yet very zesty and serious rendition here. Drink upon release or hold.

Decanter 96: Pazo Barrantes stepped back from the market for a couple of years to refine its Albariños. The return was sensational. The top wine, the Countess, takes Albariño to a different level; a wonderful interplay of ripe fruit (peaches, quince, honeyed citrus), ringing acidity and a mineral note.

Wine Advocate 96: The top-of-the-range 2019 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 must fermented in 3,000-liter oak vats where the wine was kept for 12 months, the first three with the lees, and then it was kept in concrete for a further 12 months. It has a golden color and an intense nose but with subtle aromas and almost no trace of oak. 2019 was a warmer, very complete and balanced year of powerful wines with concentration, clout and very good balance and freshness. This has 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.25 and 7.3 grams of acidity. It has a round and creamy texture and is velvety and tender, sleek and elegant. 9,655 bottles and 400 magnums produced. It was bottled in April 2022.

James Suckling 96: It’s a joy to taste and drink this Rias Baixas, which shows ripe pineapple, quince, cream, meringue, apricots, seashells and minerals. Substantially full but paradoxically light as well, thanks to its bright acidity. Long, creamy and taut, with a lightly saline ending. A vinous albarino to drink or hold.

Vinous 94: The 2019 Albariño Gran Vino de Guarda La Comtesse hails from Pago Chacheiro, a single vineyard planted in 1965 in Salnes, Rías Baixas. Fermented in oak and aged in concrete vats, this yellow wine features aromas of hops, orange peel and quince, complemented by apricot, jasmine and a delicate hint of oxidized green apple. Dry, creamy and saline, it lingers with a vibrant and tasty medlar finish. This is a truly complex and savory white that showcases the pristine coastal character of the Rías Baixas.