Lagar de Cervera Albariño | 2022

From the famous winemaking group, La Rioja Alta, Lagar de Cervera is one of the most consistent and classic expressions of Albariño. Sourced from two different vineyards in Rías Baixas, the first is located near Portugal in the O Rosal subregion. Its climate, moderated by the Miño River and steady sunshine, yields wines of intense tropical and floral fruits. The second vineyard is further north, in the iconic Salnes Valley, a cooler, wetter, and harsher climate influenced by the Atlantic. Here, Albariño explodes with a knife-like acidity and icy minerality. The combination of these two opposite places, along with a stringent optical sorting of the grapes before fermentation, makes Lagar de Cervera one of the most complex Albariños for its category. A bit more alcohol than the previous vintage, the 2022 still maintains a nimbleness through a rainbow of fruits — white peach and green papayas, hot pink melons and bright orange creamsicles. The mid-palate is juicy, like a Grand Cru Riesling, then Albariño’s salt box of acidity cleans up the finish. With glam fruit and dazzling minerality, the real treasure of La Rioja Alta is Albariño. ~Allegra A