Sitta Ancestros 2012

The 2012 Sitta Ancestros comes from the Val do Salnés sub-appellation in the Rías Baixas. It is the oldest Albariño vineyard in the family, with a classic pergola over-man-high vines. The vineyard is characterized by granite and sandy-loam topsoil. After the late harvest, the grapes are completely destemmed and pre-fermented in cool air. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in French oak, as does 60 months of aging on fine lees with occasional bâtonnage. 710 bottles of this wine have been bottled.

rich straw yellow with golden reflections

In the many variations with which Bodegas Attis presents the full range that the Albariño offers, the Ancestros the most powerful and complex. And although you can feel the long yeast ageing and bâtonnage in the aroma, at the same time you can find tart and fresh notes of grapefruits and lemons, pineapple and crisp pear, while all this is framed by a little wood and the typical buttery, creamy and spicy notes that come with the long barrel ageing.

The impressive balance of density and opulence on the one hand and tension, freshness and clarity on the other hand is also evident on the palate. It is remarkable how much potential this Spanish-Portuguese grape variety has, which is all too often only cold-fermented and fruit-accentuated filled into the bottles. Here it shows how easily it handles a lot of wood and long yeast storage, how present the rich stone fruit remains and also the remarkable acid structure. The wine appears young and fresh, tart and citrusy, juicy and slightly salty with the typical powerful minerality of the granite soils. The Ancestros is an impressive Albariño.