Eladio Pineiro Frore de Carme Solo Albarino 2018

Grape: Albarino Vintage: 2018 Type: White Originating from the granite-rich, Atlantic-swept Val do Salnés sub-region of Rías Baixas in Galicia, this flagship cuvée is a testament to patience and traditional low-intervention viticulture. Named in honor of Eladio Piñeiro's wife, Carmen, Frore de Carme ("Flower of Carmen") represents a deep dive into the aging potential of pure Albariño. Sourced from older, biodynamically and organically farmed vines planted on granite soils, the hand-harvested fruit undergoes an extended maceration on the skins followed by a long, slow primary fermentation with native yeasts. In the cellar, Piñeiro ages the wine on its fine lees in neutral vessels for several years, giving it remarkable textural depth before bottling it unfiltered. In the glass, it pours a rich, luminous golden-yellow hue. The nose is extraordinarily complex, layered, and evolved, opening with aromas of candied lemon peel, nectarine, ripe yellow peach, fennel seed, and dried honeysuckle, tied together by a rich, pastry-like brioche character from the extensive lees contact. On the palate, a "crystalline" current of intense, Atlantic-driven acidity slices effortlessly through a mouth-coating, plush, and extract-rich texture. Notes of bitter orange, aniseed, and wild herbs mingle with a deep, persistent minerality. It glides into an exceptionally long, savory finish that leaves behind a mouthwatering trail of salinity, dried citrus peel, and crushed granite stone.