100% Albariño • sourced from a variety of 40-45 year-old parcels on granite • fermented spontaneously and raised in two 2500L oak foudres • long elevage of 17 months with no lees stirring • originally conceived as an homage to Pepe Luis, Xurxo Alba’s late brother
Info
Producer:
Vintage:
2022
Country:
Spain
Region:
Galicia
Appellation:
Rias Baixas
Variety:
Albarino
Color:
White
Sizes Available
| Full Bottle | ES-ALB-21-22 | 12/750ml |
Resources
Press & Reviews
Tim Atkin, MW
Score
97
Date
2024-12-16
"Xurxo Alba is a magician, a winemaker who knows how to tease the best out of old-vineAlbari¤o on granite soils. This comes from five coastal parcels and is another triumph froma brilliant winemaker. Fermented with full malolactic before ageing in German and Austrianfoudres, it has struck match, laurel and sea breeze aromas, mouth-watering acidity andlanolin and waxed lemon flavours. 2024-30."
James Suckling
Score
96
Date
2024-11-13
"One of the great wines of the region, this has an expressive nose reminiscent of grapefruit and white flowers. The palate is really energetic, driven by texture and acidity. Complex and multidimensional. This comes from two neighboring parcels in Castrelo close to the ocean. Aged for about 10 months in used barrels. Drink now."
Wine Advocate
Score
94
Date
2024-07-11
"The 2022 Pepe Luis shows the warmer and drier year with a more Mediterranean profile, notes of dry herbs and nutty touch. The palate is round and gentle but has the granite granularity that gives it a dry, chalky mouthfeel. It has 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.26 and 5.9 grams of acidity, lower than usual. This had a much longer ,levage of 17 months in oak foudre, but the wine is not oaky. 6,666 bottles were filled in March 2024."
Vinous
Score
90
Date
2025-03-11
"The 2022 Albariño PepeLuis, from Castrelo, Salnés, Rías Baixas, aged 17 months in Austrian foudres. It is reductive and slightly smoky, with aromas of peas, sulfur and oxidative tones. Creamy and sweet, it is compact, intense and marked by evident wood."
REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES
2021
Wine Advocate
Score
94+
Date
2023-11-16
"There were more iodine and low-tide notes in the nose of the 2021 Pepe Luis, with herbal and moss aromas, while the smoky notes were more in the background. The vintage is more marked in this wine; this is sharper and more austere than the rounder 2020 that I tasted next to it, despite both being balanced, fresh and harmonious. 6,100 bottles were produced. It was bottled after spending 17 months in two 2,500-liter oak foudres."
2021
Jancis Robinson
Score
16
Date
2023-11-13
"Tasted blind. Menthol, aromatic and somewhat closed on the nose. Full-flavoured, powerful, with creaminess. The palate is savoury, concentrated, citric. Good balance and a touch of richness at the end of the palate. Pleasant touch of struck match. (FC)"
2020
Wine Advocate
Score
94
Date
2022-02-28
2019
Wine Advocate
Score
93
Date
2022-02-28