2024 Nanclares y Prieto Albarino Branco

This is the entry point into the world of Alberto Nanclares and Silvia Prieto, and it’s one of the better values in the region. It’s a blend from 67 separate plots around the Salnes and Cambados sub-regions, designed to be a pure, high-energy expression of what quality Rias Baixas Albariño is all about.

The winemaking is very deliberate for the price. The fruit is fermented naturally in stainless steel and old oak vats, followed by about nine months on the lees to add a little bit of weight to the racy Atlantic acidity. Like everything they do, it’s bottled with minimal sulfur and no fining, so it stays bright and full of life.

In the glass, it’s like a cold blast of sea air. You get plenty of green apple, lemon zest, and a heavy dose of that salty, crushed-shell minerality that defines the Rías Baixas coast. It’s lean, electric, and dangerously easy to drink—the kind of wine that just begs for a plate of oysters or some grilled sardines. It’s the perfect introduction to the masters of the region.