Tomada de Castro
Rias Baixas, Galicia, Spain
The father and daughter team of Carlos Castro Serrantes and Elisabeth Castro Nuñez are the force behind Tomada de Castro, a highly regarded Albariño producer based in the Val do Salnés, the original and oldest sub-zone of the Rias-Baixas D.O. in northwest Spain. Carlos and Elisabeth founded Tomada de Castro in 1998, after years of making only a “house wine” for local consumption. They use only estate grown fruit from their seven hectares of vineyard land, which is split into tiny parcels throughout the D.O, a function of the Napoleonic ancestral code, much like in France.
All the fruit is trained high on pergolas in order to take advantage of the ocean breezes and avoid mildew and rot, which is common in this humid area. The vineyards are sustainable and planted on sandy soils over a granite base. Fermentations are done using ambient yeasts and are done entirely in stainless steel tanks. Their Albariños see no oak.
We are pleased to offer two wines from Tomada de Castro, the delightful, entry level Flor de Verano and the deeper, more intense eponymous Tomada de Castro Albariño.
Our Selections
Flor de Verano Albariño Rias Baixas 2022
This delightful Albariño comes from grapes that are planted at a lower elevation, closer to the sea, on soils over granite bedrock. Natural fermentations in stainless steel tanks with just a light filtration. The wine is delicious, with bright citrus tones, green apple, and pear and stony minerality.
Albariño Rias Baixas Val do Salnes 2020
The flagship estate wine. Hand-selected clusters from a single plot of old vines at the highest elevation on the property, located near the sea at 150m of elevation. 30 year old vines on granite soils. Free run juice and natural yeast fermentation at low temperatures results in a beautiful wine that expresses the best of Albariño. Fermented in stainless steel and kept in bottle for six months before release.