Fulcro A Cesteira 2021

One of the best Rías Baixas releases from the cooler, distinctly tricky 2021 vintage, this hails from a north-facing vineyard on schist and clay soils in Sanxenxo. Fermented and aged in stainless steel and larger, older foudres, it has subtle gun flint aromas, lots of salinity, appealing wet stone intensity and a core of oyster shell, cream and lemon zest. 2023-30

The 2021 A Cesteira comes from north- and west-facing plots from the slate soils in the mountain in the Salnés, where they have the schist zone. From this vintage, they moved to 2,500-liter oak foudre, where the wine is transferred after the fermentation is finished in stainless steel, and the wine matures in the foudres for some 10 months. It has 12.5% alcohol, remarkable acidity and vibrant flavors. The grapes get the morning sun rather than the evening one, and the wine has ripeness but with citrus notes too, quite vertical. It feels cold, subtle, elegant and sharp but also with ripe flavors. The wines do not go through malolactic, and the foudre gives it a more subtle touch. They produced 3,400 bottles. It was bottled in August 2022.