Vineyards and winemaking
Maior de Mendoza Sobre Lías comes from two old estate vineyards close to the sea in the Val do Salnés. Planted before the creation of the Rías Baixas denomination, the Albariño grows in granite-sandy soils under traditional pergolas, with wide rows that encourage airflow and manual farming without herbicides or aggressive systemic treatments.
The 2021 grapes were hand-picked into 20-kilogram boxes, followed by an average of ten hours of cold skin contact and a 21-day fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine then rested for three months on its finest lees in stainless steel with bâtonnage, gaining creaminess and aromatic persistence while retaining its Atlantic freshness.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Bright straw yellow with green reflections and a very fine natural spritz.
Nose
Orange blossom, mandarin and lychee are joined by peach, loquat and crisp white pear, with a delicate bread-dough note from the lees adding quiet complexity.
Palate
Fresh and generous, with ripe orchard fruit, lively acidity and a smooth, lightly creamy texture. A saline mineral note gathers towards the finish, leaving the wine long, balanced and remarkably energetic for its bottle age.
Food pairing
The magnum is ideal for a table of guests: serve with a shellfish platter, whole baked sea bream, paella, or roast chicken with lemon and olives. Its breadth also suits lobster rolls or a generous spread of tapas and grilled vegetables.
Background story
The Barros family began growing Albariño in the 1970s and planted one of Galicia's largest holdings of the variety before the Rías Baixas denomination existed. Their winery above Carril continues to focus on estate fruit, manual work and the close relationship between the Atlantic climate and granite-derived soils.
Maior de Mendoza was the first Rías Baixas brand built specifically around lees ageing, inspired in part by traditional home winemaking memories. In magnum, the 2021 Sobre Lías has evolved slowly, preserving freshness while the fine lees and larger format have encouraged a more seamless texture.
