Adega O Cabalin

Valdeorras

Location Vilamartin
Grapes Mencia, Brancellao, Merenzao, Godello
Viticulture Organic
Producer Teresa Lopez and Luis Peique
Website adegaocabalin.com
Location Vilamartin
Grapes Mencia, Brancellao, Merenzao, Godello
Viticulture Organic
Producer Teresa Lopez and Luis Peique
Website adegaocabalin.com

Valdeorras’s star has been on the ascendancy for an age, and yet most of what we taste is average at best. A handful of growers have stamped a name on the area and produce wines worthy of international note, but it seemed there was no one taking the terroir and vineyards to a different level, on a more human scale. When I met Luis and Teresa at Barcelona wine fair in 2022, it was more by error than design, I thought they we someone else, but on tasting their wines I was struck by a ‘third atmosphere’ they seemed to have harnessed which made these wines stand out to me. It wasn’t until 2023 when I visited them and their vineyard that I understood why.

 

Located in the village of Vilamartin, the tiny glowing honey coloured stone-built cellar is perched above the valley with views over to the mountains to the south. Luis uses a steel basket press followed by small steel vats to ferment the reds. 500 litre old French oak to age. It is a simple, human sized cellar, manageable by him and his wife. It is also apparent that his attention to detail borders on the obsessive, from the cleanliness to the wine glasses. It is impressive.

 

The vineyards, a 20 minute drive to the south east, are located between 600 and 800 metres in the O Casio river valley, a tributary of the river Sil. The village of Viladequinta (which lends its name to a cuvee) is where the main parcels of wines are, but on the opposite side is a parcel of Mencia and Godello known locally as O Cabalin from which the adega takes its name, and from which Luis made his first wines in 2015. This side is west facing, slate and schist, whilst the Viladequinta side is east facing with granite and slate. There are three parcels on this side too, Bascois at the top at 800 metres, Valigota at 600, Viladequinta at 700. The area is stunning, with ancient buildings of granite hewn into the mountain side, old vines terraced to the river below, and cherry trees laden with fruit (when I was there!) pockmarking the slopes. The air is pure and fresh and the feel of the Atlantic is always present. All work is done by hand, of course, but here the work has been in pruning the vineyards to regain a steady flow of sap in order to allow them to yield healthily. All soil work is organic, and no chemicals are brought up here.

 

Harvesting is in small baskets and will take place typically form early September (Godello) to end of September (Bascois). The fruit is brought to the cellar to be selected and fermented, all spontaneously, according to the vintage a plot. There is no filtration, fining or additions here, save SO2 at bottling. All is calmly and thoughtfully managed by Luis. The results are glorious. The expression of terroir is stunning, the elegance and finesse of the wines make these among the finest in the region if not Galicia, and the modesty of Luis and Teresa just serves to give the wines that ‘third atmosphere’ we look for in wine. Of course allocations are tiny, with only 500 bottles of some cuvees and only 6000 bottles produced annually.


Adega O Cabalin Wines


A Espedrada 100% Godello from mixed vineyards with an average age of 100 years. From the west facing slopes of O Cabalin, as well as some old vines from Viladequinta. 48 hours skin maceration in stainless steel. Fermentation in French 500 litre oak, no battonage where the wine then rests on lees for 12 months. Bright golden hue, expressive nose, elegant at the same time. Pure acidity and freshness lifted by pear and citrus fruit. Touch of waxy fruit on the finish. Mineral
Peiron A field blend as are all the reds but with a shorter maceration and ageing period for earlier drinking. A window into the mountainous, cool slate elegance that defines the house style.
O Cabalin Majority Mencia and Alicante Bouschet with small quantites of Merenzao, Souson, Brancellao and others. Foot trodden wholebunches. 18 days cuvaison. Basket pressed. 12 months in 500 litre oak. Pure red fruit, touch of sweet spice, finessed tannins and cool mineral core. Silky through the mid palate, with a touch of texture from the tannins.
Viladequinta 40% Mencia, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 20% Merenzao with the remaining 30% Brancellao, Souson, Caino, Ferron. 3 plots at 750 metres. North facing steep slope with poor slate soils. 35 days fermentation and cuvaison in 500 litre French oak. Ageing in 500l and 225L oak for 14 months followed buy 4 months in stainless steel prior to bottling. Red fruit, ferric notes, lifted floral aromatics with luscious fruit on the palate. Velveteen tannins run through a core of blue fruit and mineral acid. Long.
Valigota Mencia, Brancellao, Merenzao, Ferron, Alicante Bouschet and others. A single, north facing plot spread over steep terraces of shallow slate and quartzite. Fermentation takes place in a 500l open barrel with no temperature control. 35% fermented with stems. 75% destemmed but not crushed. Post fermentation maceration of 30-40 days. Ageing takes place in the same barrel used for fermentation for one year. Black olive, tea and rose. Pruneaux notes with a touch of spice and cranberry. Beautifully balanced spicy tannins, held by taut and bright fruit and exceptional finesse. A stunning wine.
Bascois 40% Mencia , 20% Merenzao, 10% Alicante Bouschet with the remainder Brancellao, Grau Negro, Ferron and Souson. A tiny plot sat on slate at 800 metres in the V shaped valley formed by the Casio river, a tributary of the Sil. Foot trodden wholebunches. Only one 500l barrel made! Open top fermentation with partially destemmed whole bunches. Ageing for one year in 225l barrique. This is a style all of its own with a fresh, tranquil nature and breezy red fruit. Underneath however is a brooding structure, ferric coolness and dense red fruit and sappy acid. Finishes long and taut with a flourish of red fruit and spice.
A Espedrada 100% Godello from mixed vineyards with an average age of 100 years. From the west facing slopes of O Cabalin, as well as some old vines from Viladequinta. 48 hours skin maceration in stainless steel. Fermentation in French 500 litre oak, no battonage where the wine then rests on lees for 12 months. Bright golden hue, expressive nose, elegant at the same time. Pure acidity and freshness lifted by pear and citrus fruit. Touch of waxy fruit on the finish. Mineral
Peiron A field blend as are all the reds but with a shorter maceration and ageing period for earlier drinking. A window into the mountainous, cool slate elegance that defines the house style.
O Cabalin Majority Mencia and Alicante Bouschet with small quantites of Merenzao, Souson, Brancellao and others. Foot trodden wholebunches. 18 days cuvaison. Basket pressed. 12 months in 500 litre oak. Pure red fruit, touch of sweet spice, finessed tannins and cool mineral core. Silky through the mid palate, with a touch of texture from the tannins.
Viladequinta 40% Mencia, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 20% Merenzao with the remaining 30% Brancellao, Souson, Caino, Ferron. 3 plots at 750 metres. North facing steep slope with poor slate soils. 35 days fermentation and cuvaison in 500 litre French oak. Ageing in 500l and 225L oak for 14 months followed buy 4 months in stainless steel prior to bottling. Red fruit, ferric notes, lifted floral aromatics with luscious fruit on the palate. Velveteen tannins run through a core of blue fruit and mineral acid. Long.
Valigota Mencia, Brancellao, Merenzao, Ferron, Alicante Bouschet and others. A single, north facing plot spread over steep terraces of shallow slate and quartzite. Fermentation takes place in a 500l open barrel with no temperature control. 35% fermented with stems. 75% destemmed but not crushed. Post fermentation maceration of 30-40 days. Ageing takes place in the same barrel used for fermentation for one year. Black olive, tea and rose. Pruneaux notes with a touch of spice and cranberry. Beautifully balanced spicy tannins, held by taut and bright fruit and exceptional finesse. A stunning wine.
Bascois 40% Mencia , 20% Merenzao, 10% Alicante Bouschet with the remainder Brancellao, Grau Negro, Ferron and Souson. A tiny plot sat on slate at 800 metres in the V shaped valley formed by the Casio river, a tributary of the Sil. Foot trodden wholebunches. Only one 500l barrel made! Open top fermentation with partially destemmed whole bunches. Ageing for one year in 225l barrique. This is a style all of its own with a fresh, tranquil nature and breezy red fruit. Underneath however is a brooding structure, ferric coolness and dense red fruit and sappy acid. Finishes long and taut with a flourish of red fruit and spice.