House: Rodriguez Sanzo

Name: Maria Sanzo Rias Baixas

Origin: Galicia, Spain

Vintage: 2015

Price: 67 DKK/9 EUR/11,20 USD on winefamly.dk (market price: 109 DKK/14,70 EUR/18,20 USD)

Galicia as a wine region

Galicia is a completely new region for me. It is located in the north-west of Spain, surrounded by ocean. Wine production in Galicia dates back nearly 2,000 years to the time of Roman occupation. At its current state, Galicia produces almost exclusively white wines, that are made to enjoyed within 2 years after bottling. They produce some red wines as well but the white wine is what they are know for. We will take a look on such wine today.

Spanish white wine

Spanish wine industry is mostly known for its red wines based on grape Tempranillo. The need to produce such kind of wine comes from their cuisine which in most part includes rich meat or vegetable dishes. Galicia is different. Due to the fact that it is surrounded by the ocean, most of the Galician diet consists of seafood. The red wine is not very well suited for this kind of dishes. Hence the need for white wine. One of the most popular regions in Galicia famous for their white wine is Rias Baixas. This region is famous for its grape called Albariño. Due to the proximity to Portugal, the influence of Galician wine industry spreads beyond the borders of Spain. You might have heard about Vinho Verde which is popular Portuguese white wine made from Albariño.

We are not going to Portugal today, we stay in Galicia so let’s take a look at one of their white wines.

Rodriguez Sanzo, Maria Sanzo Rias Baixas 2015

Vintage 2015 should be good for drinking at this time. Grapes for this wine are grown on 35 years old plants which gives it a lot of character. In the nose we get very rich fruity aromas with traces of citrus fruits, especially oranges. Due to the higher acidity, the wine has a little bit of an sparkling effect in the mouth. Acidity is nice, not overwhelming at all. Taste confirms the nose with a flavor of oranges and grapefruit. This wine has medium long smooth aftertaste.

Verdict

This was my first experience with a Spanish white wine and it leaves me quite satisfied. I can definitely see why they make white wine in this regions because this one would fit perfectly with all preparation of seafood. Enjoy kept cold on a warm sunny day.