2019 Adegas Tollodouro Pontellon Albarino Rias Baixas Spain 750 ml

Lovers of top-notch, ultra terroir-driven whites will find their new go-to in Adegas Tollodouro’s 2019 Pontellón Albariño. An impressive value even at its $27 market price, we took as much as we could off the market for Wine Access members. 

At $15, the points-to-price ratio is incredible. We’d associate the accompanying Wine & Spirits review more with a top-flight Sancerre than a value Albariño: “Give it time in a decanter and the wine amplifies its brisk, racy flavors, glowing with delicious energy.” With its serious texture and succulent fruit character, the 2019 Pontellón Albariño is a value hunter’s dream. 

Shimmering in the glass with Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, and nectarine aromas, a clean wet rock minerality anchors the center and lends gravitas to this stunning bargain bottle. Mouthwatering and lifted on entry, the melon rind, tarragon, and white floral tones offer layers of intrigue before rounding out with a crisp, crystalline finish. 

Just six miles inland from the sea, Adegas Tollodouro is located in the southernmost region of Rías Baixas, in O Rosal along the Portuguese frontier. Its south-facing hillside vines benefit from the area's alluvial, well-draining soils. Varied elevation, ranging from 350 to 1,150 feet protects the grapes from the foggy mist that comes off the Mino river less than two miles away and from the colder Atlantic breezes, enabling this Albariño to develop more of an open, juicy flavor profile compared to its shrouded neighbors lower on the hillside.

That oceanic influence still finds its way into the grapes though, which derive their saline minerality and gorgeous texture from the inescapable coastal climate that sets this region’s wines apart. The Atlantic plays an important role, prolonging the growing season and allowing the grapes to develop complex layers of flavor without sacrificing any of their beautiful natural acidity.

The Albariño from this region has inspired imitators the world over, but only Rías Baixas can deliver such a textbook example of this grape variety. That craggy, wind-battered seaside influence cannot be replicated… but it can be experienced in every rejuvenating sip of this 2019 Pontellón Albariño.