2021 Pazo de Barrantes (Marqués de Murrieta) Albariño Rias Baixas

94+ points. The 2021 Gran Vino Albariño is the third vintage of this new cuvée from their 12 hectares in eight different plots (Cacheiro, Huerta, Besada, Eira, Ferradiña, Ferradura, Tomadiña and Souto) in the Valle del Salnés plus a further hectare rented from the archbishop. The destemmed grapes were pressed and the must let to settle and then fermented in stainless steel for around 30 days. The wine was kept with the lees in stainless steel for six months and then a further six months without the lees. Fifteen percent of the volume matured in acacia wood barrels. It was kept in bottle for around 20 months before being sold. It has 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.25 and seven grams of acidity (tartaric). It's pale and elegant, insinuating, perfumed, floral and subtle. It's lighter but very vibrant, and it's fresh and with volume and very tasty flavors. This could be the finest vintage to date—elegant, clean, classical and Atlantic. 105,274 numbered bottles and 1,827 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2022. The wine is released almost two years after the harvest. (LG)