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Zarate Albarino El Palomar 2012 750ml

size
750ml
country
Spain
region
Galicia
WA
94
Additional vintages
2014 2012
WA
94
Rated 94 by Wine Advocate
At the helm of oak-fermented Alabariños, and one of the few to go through malolactic, the 2012 El Palomar is a single-vineyard white from a 0.36 hectare plot of ancient, un-grafted vines that is rich in granite with very shallow soils. The must fermented in a 2,200-liter oak vat that is eight years old and went through malolactic fermentation in contact with the lees with a further three months on the fine lees after being racked. This is just plain great Albariño, with a complexity of aromas (wild roses, yeasts, pollen, seaweed, yellow plums) and such concentration, weight of fruit, great acidity and superb balance, even after malolactic. It's really impossible to detect wood here as they have been using the same oak vats since the first vintage of 2003 when it was new and certainly marked the wine. This is at the top of quality Salnés in a rounder style. 2,600 bottles were filled in October 2013. Amazing!
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Zarate Albarino El Palomar 2012 750ml

SKU 754708
Out of Stock
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Winery Zarate
barrel

Vintage: 2012

2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in. The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
green grapes

Varietal: Albarino

Albarino grapes are very pale in color, and grow best in hot and humid regions. They have their origin in Spain, and are cultivated in huge numbers all over the Iberian coastlines, where they are widely enjoyed and have contributed much to the white wine culture of Spain and Portugal. Today, they are grown in several countries around the world, in regions which have the right climatic conditions in which they can fully ripen and express their unique qualities and characteristics. These light green skinned grapes are prized for their relatively high acid content, which results in tart, sharp wines balanced by their natural flavors of peach and apricot. The grapes produce highly aromatic wines, with a pleasant level of bitterness brought about by the fruit's thick skins.
barrel

Region: Galicia

Galicia, in northern Spain, was once a prosperous and highly popular wine producing region. Despite the strong influence and often bad weather brought by the Atlantic Ocean, the vintners of Galicia knew how to make the most of the grape varietals which thrived in their vineyards, and were renowned for producing excellent, characterful wines full of flavor and beautiful aromatic qualities. However, the economic collapse which occurred in Galicia in the 19th century all but destroyed the region's wine industry and reputation, and it looked as though the region would never recover. Thankfully for lovers of Spanish wines, plenty of money and effort was spent in rebuilding the Galician wine industry over the past few decades, and today, more and more wineries are once again making their distinctive single variety and blended white and red wines, and finding new fans across the globe.
fields

Country: Spain

From the deep and intense Rioja wines, or the dry and refreshing Ruedas, from Tempranillos to Verdejos, the range and quality of Spanish wines is always going to impress and fascinate. With several thousand years of traditions and expertise leading the way, Spanish wineries are currently producing some of the most flavorful and interesting wines to come out of Europe, striving to overcome the reputation problems the country suffered in the mid to late twentieth century. Despite being one of the largest producers of wine in the world, with billions of bottles being filled each year, Spanish wine producers are more interested in quality over quantity than ever before. The results of this are some truly world class wines rivaling even the finest produce of France in regards to balance, character and flavor, gaining new fans and enthusiasts every day.