Bodegas CASTRO MARTIN
ALBARIÑO AVIAN

Bodegas Castro Martin is located in the Rías Baixas Denomination of Origin, situated in the heart of the Salnés Valley. Here, the sandy soil, on a base of granite and quartz, and a cool climate with an average temperature of 13°C is the best possible geographic location for the low yielding Albariño grape whose high quality and extreme scarcity have assured its perennial position as Spain’s (and one of Europe’s) most expensive wine grapes. Bod. Castro Martin has a family history here that dates back many years, and documentation actually proves the existence of an old wine cellar and the selling of the white wine made from Albariño grapes as far back as 1887.

Today Castro Martin has 10 hectares of vineyards all of which are located in the Municipio Ribadumia-Barrantes (Pontevedra-Galicia) that is considered to be the best grape growing area. The vines are between 20-50 years old with an average of 1100 vines per hectare and are pergola-trained to allow free circulation of air which helps to prevent disease. 65% of the grapes for the Albariño wine comes from their own vineyards and the rest is supplemented by purchasing grapes exclusively from the best growers within the Municipio of the Salnés Valley in order to meet the annual grape requirements.

The grapes are hand harvested, sorted, and measured electronically to determine the sugar concentration, then pressed, in whole bunches, using stainless steel pneumatic presses. The juice is cooled immediately and transferred into temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and left to rest for 24 hours, following which any impurities of the grape-must can be eliminated. Once the fermentation is complete, the wine is racked, leaving the yeast deposits at the bottom of the tanks. Cold stabilization is carried out by rapidly chilling the wine causing the tartrates to crystallize and fall to the bottom of the tanks; this prevents future deposits when the wine is chilled for serving. The wine is then lightly filtered using fine, diatomaceous earth and membrane filters, and left to rest for one month in the bottle before being released. Bodegas Castro Martin combines a wealth of knowledge, gathered over many years, together with the latest vinification methods and the utmost respect for the most natural processes, to bring us the best wine possible.

This is a clean, intensely fresh wine, that exhibits all the typical characteristics of the Albariño grape varietal. It is a very aromatic wine that not only makes an excellent accompaniment to fine food, but can just as easily be enjoyed as an aperitif – a real pleasure for the senses.