2021 Patito "Patito Feo" Treixadura, Ribeiro, Spain

ABOUT THIS WINE

100% Treixadura from three hectares of 15-20 year-old vines across two vineyards. The vines are planted on granite, are not irrigated, and are farmed organically. Fermentation is with wild yeasts for 30-40 days. The wine is then aged for 7 months on lees in stainless steel, with a third in 33L French oak barrels. It’s only lightly filtered before bottling, with minimal SO2.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Iván Vázquez Pateiro's story is very similar to that of many winemakers of his generation. Coming from a long line of winegrowers he would watch and help his grandparents and parents tend their vines to sell to the local co-operative. Originally from Ribadavia, Iván worked - and actually still continues to work - for many wineries, before moving some 20km further north up the river Avia to the town of Beade. Here, with his business partner, he bought a few acres of vines to start their own project, El Patito Feo and Saramusa! He uses only indigenous varitires (Caiño, Souson and Treixadura) where he makes a 100% Treixadura - something that few other winemakers in the region are doing. But nostalgia aside he believes it is not about making the same wines your parents make, but rather to improve and advance them. 2018 is only Iván's second vintage to date but already he is starting to make some incredibly expressive and aromative wines. DO Ribeiro is a longstanding established DO centred around Ourense in the NW corner of Spain, just north of Portugal. Natural barriers protect the land from sub Atlantic storms and create a cool Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunlight and plenty of rainfall (though summer months can be dry). Soils are typically sandy, granitic and poor and offer high acidity to the grapes. The whites, from Treixadura, Albarino, Godello and Torrontes are all fresh, floral, fruity and high in acidity and are considerably more common than the reds.