2019 Atalier by Raul Perez ‘A Cruz Das Ánimas’ Albariño Rias Baixas

WSI94 Intense nose of mandarin and lemon peel, sea salt and notes of fresh bread dough. Racy minerality, mouthwatering and delicate white apricot/peach fleshiness on the  palate. Crisp, bright, intense.
The ‘A Cruz das Ánimas’ from Atalier by Raúl Pérez is an example of the ecstatic heights that old-vine Albariño can reach when treated with the respect, care, and patience it deserves. It is also is something that is becoming vanishingly rare in the world of wine today. Sites like these represent an ever more endangered piece of the cultural patrimony of Galicia. When we speak of the poignancy of visiting a site like this, it’s not simply about un-grafted vines. Apart from the vines themselves, it’s the tradition of passing jealously guarded parcels of land from generation to generation that is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain in the new global economy. A wine like this provides us with an opportunity to partake of this legacy and play a part in keeping what’s left of it alive.