Sketch, Albariño, Rias Baixas, 2018

The 2018 Sketch comes from the A Telleira vineyard from Forjas del Salnes and it used to be the same as A Telleira from Forjas, but that's not the case anymore. The wine is sold without appellation of origin, and for quite some time, it has been quite mysterious and sought after, as it's a wine they have used to experiment with underwater aging, in the sea, but those bottles have never been sold and are only drunk by themselves with friends, to see what happens and if the exchange increases the salinity of the wine (to which the answer is yes!). But the Sketch you buy in the shops has never been anywhere near seawater. Myths and legends abound... Anyway, it took them some time to master the fermentation and aging of Albarino in oak, as the obsession was to get the acidity to integrate and the palate to polish but without getting any oak aromas or flavors. The wine comes through as elegant and refined, with some peachy notes combined with the varietal, herbal and mineral notes. The palate is sleek, with extra freshness in this 2018, with a saline and faintly bitter finish. This is plain delicious. It fermented and matured in 750-liter oak barrels.

DRINKING WINDOW 2020 - 2026

date of review 06/2020