Winebow Producer Book

DO Rías Baixas , Spain

Winery Overview Jose Limeres, a native of the Galícian town of Pontevedra and owner of several successful restaurants in Madrid, entered the wine business in 1985 when he was searching for a reliable supplier of quality wines for his restaurants. He bought his first property in O Rosal and planted native varieties that flourished in the area’s unique climate and soil. The resulting wines proved a hit, particularly his Albariño, which strikes just the right balance of sugar and acidity. José María Ureta Guzmán, a native of Galícia, with a Master’s in Enology and Viticulture from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, manages the winery’s vineyards and cellars. In 2001, José was named “Young Albariño Winemaker of the Year” by the Order of Albariño Gentlemen, and is a member of the Tasting Committee of the Consejo Regulador de Rías Baixas, the region’s official winemaking consortium. Location of Vineyard Unusual for the DO of Rías Baixas, Bodegas la Val has crafted a single-estate 100% Albariño wine. In the heart of the Miño Valley in the sub-zone of Condado de Tea, the Finca de Arantei vineyard is characterized by poor, rocky soils and low yields. The vines are now 30 years old, which adds to the wine’s intensity and concentration. Winemaking Philosophy The granitic soil of the Finca Arantei vineyard yields a striking minerality. The wine undergoes cold maceration, fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and then ages on its lees for five months for added body and complexity.