96 pts Wine Advocate
Drink Date: 2023 - 2035
I love the purity, nuance and balance of the 2020 Albariño Cepas Vellas. After a long time in the glass, there are hints of botrytis, dried apricots and beeswax, a little less than in the 2019. There is great complexity and balance here; it is one of the finest vintages of Cepas Vellas that I remember. This is produced with grapes from the ancient, centenary vines that surround the house and winery in Meaño. This is produced like the rest of the wines—a simple and natural process and aging in stainless steel with the fine lees. It has the austere texture of the granite soils. 8,000 bottles produced.

• Site: Meaño, Salnés Valley at 150-250m
• Grapes: Albariño
• Vine Age: Vineyard planted in 1785, with the current vines being 200 years old
• Soil: Sabrego (decomposed granite and sand)
• Vinification: Fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel
• Aging: 11 months on the lees
• Farming: Practicing organic

Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas comes from very old vines, some of which are around 200 years old. The vines spread over less than one hectare of land, on sandy soils with a granitic rock bed. From these vines they only produce between 5,000 and 9,000 litres, depending on the vintage. 10% of the grapes are left on the vine so that they reach botrytis noble state, and the harvest is completely manual.

In the winery, the grapes are destemmed and then undergo cold film maceration. Then the Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas grapes are pressed and the must ferments using the ‘pie de cuba’ method. Finally the wine rests on its own fine lees in stainless steel tanks for about 12 months.

Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas is an elegant white wine with excellent density and complexity. A small production from one estate that is smaller then one hectare and only made in years when the grapes are in the best condition.