Lusco Albarino Pazo Pineiro 2006

Pazo Pineiro is the highest expression of Albarino from Pazo de Lusco. It is named for the 25 year old vineyard that surrounds the estate in Condado do Tea. The yield is a mere two tons per acre and total production is less than 600 cases per year. The soil is fairly high in acidity and rich in decomposed granite. Grapes are hand picked and carried in small crates to the cellar where they are manually sorted and selected. After ten hours of cold maceration and twenty four hours of settling the grapes are crushed. Fermentation lasts for twenty five days and the resulting wine is aged, on the lees, for an additional ten months. There is no malolactic fermentation. The finished wine is clarified, cold stabilized, and lightly filtered before bottling.