Bodegas Zárate

Bodegas Zárate is a leading Albariño producer in Rías Baixas, led by seventh-generation Eulogio Pomares. In 1953, Eulogio’s great-uncle Ernesto Zárate founded the Festa de Albariño in Cambados, and the winery gradually became known as a producer of high-quality Albariño. Since taking over in 2000, Pomares has shifted to regenerative and biodynamic farming, and also began experimenting with single-parcel Albariños and red winemaking.

The Wines

Zárate — 100% Albariño from 35-year-old vines, aged for three months on its lees in stainless steel tanks.

Balado — 100% Albariño from two small south-facing parcels of 60-year-old vines enclosed within a granite wall (balo in Galician, so Balado = Walled-In), aged for six months on its lees in stainless steel tanks.

Tras da Viña — 100% Albariño from a single 0.6 ha parcel, aged for 24 months on its lees in stainless steel tanks.

El Palomar — 100% Albariño from a single 0.36 ha parcel planted in 1850 that’s home to a dovecote or palomar, aged for 12 months in French oak foudres.

Caiño Tinto — 100% Caiño Tinto from a 60-year-old vineyard. Grapes are manually harvested and foot-trodden whole-cluster in open vats, with daily punchdowns over a four-week maceration. Aged 12 months in third-use French oak barrels, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Espadeiro — 100% Espadeiro from 60-year-old vines. Grapes are hand-harvested and destemmed before fermentation in open stainless steel vats, with daily punchdowns over a four-week maceration. Aged 12 months in third-use, 500L French oak barrels, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.