Casa Beade - VdT Betanzos, Galicia
Casa Beade (Adega Beade in Galician) is produced by Jose Luis Beade, who learned winemaking from his grandfather and later Jose Luis Mateos of Quinta de Muradella. He farms 6 acres divided into 22 plots (!) in cold, wet Betanzos, the northernmost traditional grape growing region of Spain. Jose Luis crafts extremely limited, pure, austere examples of the local grapes. He is working to revive viticulture in this exceptional wine growing region, where only 75 acres remain of the 2,500 that existed in the 18th century.
Ribeiras de Armea Blanco 2018
80% Branco Lexítimo (Albarín)/20% Godello from 10-30-year-old vines planted in granite and schist soils in the cool, humid, climate from the northernmost grape growing region in Spain.
Winemaking: Stainless fermented and aged. Spontaneous fermentations, low SO2, unfined/unfiltered.
Production: 1,800 bottles
Ribeiras de Armea Branco Lexitimo 2015
100% Branco Lexitimo (“Leh-shitee-moh”, aka Albarín Blanco), perhaps the greatest white grape of Spain. Starts its life bright, citric, exotic, and after 3-5 years in bottle begins to show petrol and smoky mineral notes, sometimes intensely so, akin to a Mosel Riesling. Very age worthy and very rare with less than 250 acres around Asturias and Galicia.
Winemaking: 1 year used wood, 1 year in stainless, 1 year in bottle before release. Spontaneous fermentations, low SO2, unfined/unfiltered.
Production: Only 1,000 bottles!
Ribeiras de Armea Agudelo 2017
100% Agudelo (Chenin Blanc) planted in granite and schist soils in the cool, humid, climate from the northernmost grape growing region in Spain.
Winemaking: Fermented and aged for one year in used French oak. Partial malolactic (stopped on its own). Spontaneous fermentations, low SO2, unfined/unfiltered.
Production: Only 300 bottles!
Ribeiras de Armea Mencía 2018
100% Mencía from a selection of parcels in the Armea area of Betanzos with an average vine age 40 years.
Winemaking: 10% whole cluster. Aged one year in 50/50 used oak and stainless. Spontaneous fermentations, low SO2, unfined/unfiltered.
Production: 1,300 bottles
Ladeiras de Paderne Mencía 2017
95% Mencía/5% Roibal (Merenzao/Trousseau) from 25-year-old vines planted in granite and schist soils in the cool, humid, climate from the northernmost grape growing region in Spain.
Winemaking: 10% whole cluster. 9 months in 25% used oak/75% stainless followed by 12 months in bottle. Spontaneous fermentations, low SO2, unfined/unfiltered.
Production: Only 600 bottles!
Professional Reviews
RP90 - Beade Ribeiras de Armea Blanco 2018
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Issue Date: May 21, 2020
The white 2018 Ribeiras de Armea is a blend of Branco Lexítimo with 20% Godello, and it has some notes of creamy oak and cured meat, a smoky touch that is quite unusual but seems to be part of the character of Branco Lexítimo. It has ripeness without excess and nice freshness. Sixty percent of the volume fermented in oak, a used 225-liter barrel and also a new 600-liter one, which must be the one that has given it that oak undertone. 1,800 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2019.
RP90 - Beade Ribeiras de Armea Agudelo 2017
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Issue Date: May 21, 2020
There is also a 2017 Ribeiras de Armea Agudelo, a varietal Chenin Blanc that is locally called Agudelo. It has some varietal notes with hints of pollen and honey and a cool-climate profile of moderate ripeness and notable acidity. The vines are 40 years old, so no, they have not planted the variety because the wines from the Loire have become popular. Planted on schist and clay soils, the vines yield no more than 2,000 kilos of grapes per hectare. It fermented and matured in 225-liter oak barrels and went through partial malolactic fermentation. Only 300 bottles were filled in June 2019.
RP89 - Beade Ribeiras de Armea Mencia 2018
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Issue Date: May 21, 2020
There are very primary and somewhat rustic Mencía notes in the nose of the red 2018 Ribeiras de Armea Mencía, which also contains some 5% other grapes, red and white, as it's from an old field blend. It's leafy and has some balsamic aromas, a honeyed tone and a vibrant palate with some citrus undertones and wild cherry flavors. It's medium-bodied, has 12.4% alcohol and a dry finish. This would be very good with food. Only 50% matured in barrel, but the oak is nicely integrated. 1,300 bottles produced.
RP91 - Beade Ribeiras de Armea Branco Lexitimo 2015
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Issue Date: February 28, 2019
The 2015 Ribeiras de Armea is a blend of 60% Branco Lexítimo (Albarín Blanco) and 20% each of Agudelo (Chenin Blanc) and Godello from Vino de la Tierra Betanzos, an IGP of Galicia. The vines range between ten and 30 years of age and are planted on clay and schist soils. Two-thirds of the volume is fermented in stainless steel and the rest in used 500-liter barrels, all with indigenous yeasts. The wine is kept in each of the fermentation vessels for nine months, after which it is blended and bottled. Branco Lexítimo has such a strong character that in other blends I've seen it tend to dominate the nose, texture and flavors with its sharp, mineral character. Here it is subtly floral but comes through as austere, earthy and very tasty and fresh. In a vintage like 2015 the wine feels very balanced and with all that is needed for a positive development in bottle. 1,700 bottles and 120 magnums were filled in August 2016.
