2022 Cume do Avia, Ribeiro, Dos Canotos Branco

Diego and Álvaro of Cume do Avia are driven by a singular conviction: that the forgotten, native varieties of Ribeiro deserve to be heard with absolute clarity. Working in the rugged, granite-strewn landscape of Galicia, they handle this blend of Albariño, Loureira, Caíño Blanco, and Lado with a restraint that lets the site’s raw energy define the wine. The 2022 growing season, marked by significant heat and drought, has yielded a wine of surprising, focused tension rather than expected heaviness. It feels like walking across a cool, polished river stone, offering a precise, saline, and mineral-driven character that lingers with remarkable persistence. This is not a wine made in the cellar, but a direct, unvarnished expression of its demanding origin.