Appellation: Salnes; Rías Baixas.
Cuvée: Dandelión.
Colour: White.
Grapes: Albariño.
About: this Cuvée is from the first grapes to be harvested, from fruit grown by partners under supervision of Alberto, from inland vineyards and shows a fatter, rounder, less saline character than the other entry level wine Tempus Vivendi. First made in 2011.
Vines
Location: from six to fifteen tiny plots in Cambados near the winery and 15 to 20km inland and south of the winery near the villages of Meaño, Ribadumia, Meis and Barro. Depending the year.
Size ha: between 1 and 3 depending the year and each year has increased a little.
Age: planted some plots in 1990, some in 1975, some 1945.
Soils: granitic, sandy.
Exposition: one plot faces north-west, the others west.
Altitude: 50m.
Training: pergola.
Farming: organic and sustainable mixed.
Average yield hl/ha: 60.
Climate: Atlantic, cold in winter, hot in summer, likelihood of fog and humid conditions all year.
Winemaking
The harvest is selected in the vineyard, moved to the winery in 15kg crates, and whole bunch pressed in a pneumatic press at very low pressure. The juice is moved direct to stainless tank without any settling or clarification in order to keep all the body of the juice. Fermented with natural yeasts, without use any additives except light dose sulphites, which prevents the malo-lactic fermentation from taking place; Alberto wants the malic acid in the wine. The wine isn’t moved until the Spring when it’s bottled following with a cold tartaric stabilisation for the domestic market but not for export according to demand.
Vintage Notes 2018
A dry winter was followed by a cold, late, wet Spring. There was a normal flowering. Summer started cool, became hot, hastening the harvest. The wines turned out great.
Harvested: Sept 10 to Oct 6
Bottles produced: 21,500
Date bottled: 2019-04.
Alcohol %: 13.10
SO2 Total: 82
Tasting: apple pie and peach fruit, almost buttery, yet still mineral, stoney, gentle and with uplifting acid on the finish.
Vintage Notes 2019
Very challenging year. A warm and dry winter didn’t allow nature to rest. Flowering was early and spoiled by rain. There was mildew. Summer was cool, then hot and steamy, with an early harvest. Nonetheless, the wines appear to be excellent, rich and vibrant.
Harvested: Sept 2 to 28
Bottles produced: 21,500
Date bottled: 2020-05.
Alcohol %: 12.90
SO2 Total: 85
Tasting: from tank 2020-03-2, terrific, lemon, green apple, mineral, salty on finish, clear, great energy, quite light, gentle, refreshing.
Vintage Notes 2020
Another complicated vintage where the winter was wet but not cold. Budding took place very early but was accompanied by warm and wet weather causing heavy mildew attacks. The summer was hot and dry until 10 days of rain in August followed by an early harvest.
This vintage saw 10% aged in one 2,200 litre French oak vat from 2004 and one 180 litre Padilla tinaja.
Yield hl/ha: 18
Harvested: September 2 to 10
Bottles produced: 20,000
Date bottled: 2020-07
Alcohol %: 11,7
SO2 Total: 74
Vintage Notes 2021
Another difficult up and down year. A wet winter was followed by a cold and wet spring. There followed a hot and dry June, then a cool and damp summer, which finished with a hot and dry August that ended with fog. Result: very unbalanced and intermittent maturation, a lot of work to make good wines.
Yield hl/ha: 75
Harvested: September 6 to 23
Bottles produced: 23,000
Date bottled: 2022-05
Alcohol %: 12,2
SO2 Total: 81
Tasting: 2022-07-28 – fresh, clear, lemon, apple, light, cleansing, very easy, some fat, rounded, well balanced, salty, great acidity on finish with fruit.