Part of the Marqués de Murrieta group, the Barrantes pazo (manor house) has belonged to the count of Creixell family since the beginning of the 20th century. Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga is the current title holder.
In the 1990s, at the height of the Albariño boom in Rias Baixas, the family decided to convert the estate, strategically located in the Salnés region, to growing and producing this variety. A winery was built next to the manor house and the 1991 vintage was the first Pazo Barrantes wine to be released. The current estate comprises 12 hectares under vine with an average age of 40 years, divided into eight different plots. The soils are granitic with sand on the surface.
The 2009 vintage saw the launch of La Comtese, made from the grapes of the estate's oldest vineyard: a 1.4 hectare plot planted in 1965 and known as Pago Cacheiro. The goal was to produce a highly concentrated Albariño with subtle oak ageing in 3,000-litre oak casks.
The brand was given a complete overhaul in 2019, focusing on the production of Albariño with the ability to age. The flagship Pazo Barrantes, which now carries the Gran Vino mention on the label, is aged for two years, while La Comtesse spends a further 12 months in concrete vats. With new packaging and a bespoke bottle, prices have increased significantly: over €40 for Pazo de Barrantes in Spain and around €120 for La Comtesse.
The new quality approach is underpinned by vineyards owned or leased for 30 years and a drop in production from around 200,000 bottles in the past to 95,000. According to winemaker María Vargas, "all the work is focused on the variety and the wine, in search of longevity", something that parent company Marqués de Murrieta has mastered in Rioja for more than a century and a half.
The new style seeks the optimum ripening conditions of the grapes to achieve the necessary acidity for extended ageing, as well as very long fermentations (up to two months at low temperatures to preserve the aromas and to start working with the lees). Most of the Pazo Barrantes Gran Vino (around 80,000 bottles) is aged in stainless steel tanks for around seven months, while around 15% is aged in acacia barrels. This is followed by 16 months in bottle before release. This is a multi-layered wine with honeyed notes, lots of citrus and hints of bay leaf. The palate is full-bodied, saline and remarkably long. La Comtesse stands out for its deep, ripe and opulent style.
