Xantar dos Cabaleiros or ‘Knights’ Banquet’
Still feeling somewhat giddy after the closing day/night of one of Spain’s longest running and most important gastronomic fairs, the LVIII Fiesta de Albariño. This year’s gold medal went once again to Señorío de Rubiós from Bodegas Coto Redondo in As Neves. The silver went to Pionero from Adega Almirante in Portas, near Caldas de Reis, and the bronze medal was awarded to O Casal from Bodegas Boado-Chaves from Ribadumia.
One of the inexplicable entry rules is that one has to present a wine from the latest vintage. The powers that be decided years ago that Albariño Rias Baixas was a ‘young wine’ and therefore must be drunk young, despite the fact that it’s common knowledge an Albariño can gain some complexity in the bottle, no amount of gentle persuading will convince them otherwise. We live in hope. The photograph was taken at the Xantar dos Cabaleiros or ‘Knights’ Banquet’, with friends from the wineries that produce the excellent Mar de Frades, Paco & Lola and Valdamor wines.
