Nas Dunas comes from Albariño vines in Arra, close to Montalvo beach, planted in sand over clay. The 2018 fermented spontaneously in a 700-litre oak barrel and spent 11 months there before bottling. Only 800 bottles were made.
It did not taste like a typical Albariño. The citrus fruit was ripe but still fresh, with salt running through the palate and a slight note of white chocolate alongside it. The wood had settled into the wine rather than sitting on top of it.
What stood out most was the proportion. Fruit, acidity, texture, and oak were held with remarkable restraint; nothing pushed forward or asked for attention. The wine felt settled rather than tired, and in an excellent place at this point in its life.
It was difficult to fault. It simply stopped just short of leaving the emotional mark of a ten.