Notes
Another subtle, fresh and elegant white wine from Galicia made with 100% Albariño, a native grape variety most prolific in the Rías Baixas DO. Like its siblings in Ribeiro: Ciclohome Godello, and Ciclohome Treixadura, it is sustainably cultivated using traditional methods.
La Estela del Ciclohome is straight-up Albariño with nothing to hide, it celebrates the grape variety like in the old days. Bright lemon-yellow in colour with a slight green tinge. Ripe citric notes of lime and mandarin with subtle hints of Jazmin, orange blossom, and undertones of hay. Intense and sumptuous! On the palate, it’s fresh, balanced, elegant, and luxuriously enveloping thanks to its good glycerin content.
Albariño represents over 90% of all vines planted in the Rías Baixas DO. The vines are trained along granite posts (called Parrales) and wires so as to protect them from humidity and to maximise their exposure to sunlight in the summer. It is believed that the Albariño grape was introduced to the area in the 12th century by the Cistercian monks of the Armenteira Monastery.
"El Ciclohome" in Galego - the local language spoken in Galicia - means "The man on the bicycle". It is said that in the mid 18th century there was a man, commissioned by The Vatican, to ride his bicycle in search of the best local wines in parts of Galicia, which he would then bring back to the Monastery of San Clodio (in Leiro, Ourense) where the monks selected the best wines to be sent to the clergy in The Vatican.
La Estela (the trail) is a metaphor for the paths taken by the Ciclohome and the lasting impression that he left behind in Galicia on his tireless search for the best wines.
Facts
Annual Production: 1,300 bottles (The club has access to 160 annually)
Type: Blanco (White)
Body: Light
Palate: Dry, fresh, balanced, and elegant
Finish: Smooth & Long
Grape Variety: 100% Albariño
Viticulture / Farming: Sustainable - Terroir Driven
ABV%: 13.0
Ageing: 10 months in stainless steel on fine lees
Winemakers: Paula Míguez (viticulturist) and Luis Miguel Fernández
Bodega: Auténticos Viñadores
Region: Galicia, Condado de Tea
Designation of Origin (DOP): Rías Baixas (Ponteareas, Pontevedra, Galicia)
Micro-Climate: Atlantic - hot summers (40ºC) and wet winters with frost & sea-fog. 2000mm of rain annually
Elevation: Average 40 meters above sea level
Age of Vines: Over 40 years old
Soil: Granite and glacial sediments
Tips
- Drink now or keep up to 3 years
- No decanting necessary
- Pairs with Tapas, Manchego or any cheese (cow, goat or sheep), aperitifs, seafood & fish, Mediterranean and Asian rice-based dishes spiced but not too hot.
- Serve chilled
Terroir
The Rías Baixas DO is on the northwestern coast of Spain, in the province of Pontevedra and overlapping the southern portion of A Coruña, in Galicia. The Condado de Tea county, from which this wine comes, has a long history of grape growing and wine production with its own traditional styles.
Condado de Tea, one of the five subzones of the DO, is in the west extending eastwards from Tui along the Miño valley up to the neighbouring Ribeiro DO. The landscape consists of several small river valleys and tributaries feeding the Tea river.
The micro-climate is influenced by the Atlantic, Condado de Tea in particular has hot summers sometimes reaching 40ºC and cold humid winters with frost. The soils are composed of granite and glacial sediments.
Vinification
The grape bunches are manually harvested with an initial selection of grapes in the vineyard followed by a second selection in the winery. Lightly cold-macerated and pressed. The grape must is separated and fermented under controlled temperature in small stainless steel vats.
Winemaker
Paula Míguez learnt everything she knows as a viñadora (viticulturist) from her father, who in 1980 began bottling high-quality wine from the family vineyards in Rias Baíxas and Ribeiro.
Today, Paula pampers her old vines, she’s very strict when it comes to grape selection and is only satisfied with the very best bunches. She lovingly gives her heart and soul to the vines, and they give back. Paula knows this is the best tribute to her father, her land, and her roots.
Auténticos Viñadores (Authentic Viticulturists) was created by Luis Miguel Fernández, Albae’s sommelier and an expert winemaker; working with artisanal viñadores across various Spanish wine regions. This Albariño is a collaboration between Luis Miguel and Paula in Rías Baixas.
Ratings
9.1/10 Luis Points - Note: Luis Miguel Fernández has established his own rating and categorization method and is now a well known independent wine reviewer in Spain.
