Eladio Pineiro Frore de Carme Brut Nature 2018

Eladio Pineiro Frore de Carme Brut Nature 2018

Eladio Pineiro
$54.00

Grape: Albarino
Vintage: 2018
Type: Sparkling

Sourced from biodynamically farmed, old-vine Albariño plots in the granite-heavy Val do Salnés sub-region of Rías Baixas, this rare, sparkling cuvée is a monument to Eladio Piñeiro's obsession with long lees aging and zero-dosage purity. Crafted using the traditional method (méthode champenoise), the base wine undergoes spontaneous native-yeast fermentation before secondary fermentation in the bottle. Piñeiro lets the liquid rest on its fine lees in the cellar for years, allowing the autolytic yeast character to deeply integrate with the grape's signature maritime brightness. Disgorged as a Brut Nature with zero added sugar in the dosage, it captures an unvarnished, high-tension snapshot of Atlantic-driven Albariño.

In the glass, it pours a brilliant pale gold with fine, persistent streams of effervescence. The nose is extraordinarily complex and lifted, opening with aromas of green apple, preserved lemon peel, dried honeysuckle, and toasted brioche, complemented by a subtle, savory undercurrent of wet granite and sea spray. On the palate, a "crystalline" line of electric, Atlantic acidity drives through a rich, creamy, and fine-textured mid-palate. The extended lees contact adds weight and structural depth, balancing the wine's bone-dry precision. It concludes with an intensely long, mouthwatering finish that leaves a persistent, salty trail of crushed stone, lemon oil, and toasted hazelnuts.

 

Benito Santos is an historically significant and pioneering winery in the Rías Baixas D.O. of Galicia, Spain, dedicated to producing authentic, terroir-driven Albariño. The founder, Benito Santos, was instrumental in establishing the Rías Baixas Denominación de Origen in the 1980s, building on a legacy of making prize-winning wines for his bar since the 1930s. Today, the estate is known for its deep respect for nature, working its vineyards—mostly in the prime Val do Salnés subzone—using certified organic practices, a rarity in this humid, mildew-prone Atlantic climate. The philosophy of "wine should be made in the vineyard not in the winery" is upheld by using only native yeasts and minimal intervention. The resulting wines are a benchmark for the region, characterized by vibrant acidity, pronounced saline minerality, and elegant notes of citrus, white flowers, and stone fruit, distinct from the overly tropical styles of some industrial Albariño. They produce single-vineyard bottlings named after neighboring ancient churches, such as *Igrexario de Saiar* and *Pago de Xoan*.