2017 Viña Mein, Blanco, Ribeiro DO, Galicia Spain.
One of the greatest white wines in Spain, the Vina Mein Ribeiro Blanco, is a wonderfully textural wine that is on par with your favorite white Burgundy and thrills the palate with creamy density and elegance, this wine is stylish and unique, vastly different from most of the country’s offerings. The Viña Mein 2017 is made from a collection of ancient native and mostly rare varietals, but mainly Treixadura, which makes up 70% of the blend here along with small amounts of Godello, Albariño, Loureira, Torrontés and Lado. Viña Mein’s vinification process on this wine, reminds me of Muscadet as it is fermented in stainless steel with extended aging on the lees. The 2017 is ripe and plush in the mouth with layers of green apple, peach, melon and kumquat fruits along with smooth acidity and the leesy richness adding a touch of caramel and fig as well as delicate white flowers and a subtle zesty citrus and quince burst keeping things fresh. It is always a treat to drink these Vina Mein whites, great with an array of food and with soft cheeses, it is from an area that is re-discovering its past and this wine is an excellent way to experience it.

This winery in Galicia is led by Viña Mein founder Javier Alén, who in the nineties sought to reclaim the glories of the region and he and some friends planted a collection of historic local white grapes including Treixadura, Godello, Loureira, Torrontes, Albariño, Lado and Albilla, later they added some red varietals as well with a set of parcels that represent the true flavors of the region with some Caiño, Mencía and Ferrón. Alén’s estate in San Clodio y Gomariz has about 16 hectares of vineyards on the hillsides of the Avia River in this remote area near Portugal, with its cool Atlantic climate making for an ideal spot for sublime quality white wines, as this one proves. This fleshy, supple and lingering light golden Ribeiro Blanco makes for a intriguing contrast to the zesty and more acid driven Albariño based wines of Rias Baixas with the Treixadura providing more generous weight and with the other grapes like Loureiro (or Loureira here) adding complexity in the wine that opens up gracefully on the palate, while still being low alcohol and with a stony/mineral streak, making it great with fattier fish dishes. The Viña Mein is a lovely wine and a serious value.
($25 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive

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