Winery Profile: Pazo Pondal

Winemaker: Ramon Valls

Pazo Pondal winery naturally blends into the impressive landscape of Arbo, Condado do Tea. The outdoor areas inspire and delight visitors, who are able to enjoy the exceptional views of the vineyards. Currently, the winery is the second generation in a family tradition dedicated to the cultivation of its beloved Albariño. The family has inherited the passion, devotion, and love of the vineyards from its ancestors and are increasingly dedicated to viticulture that is responsible and respectful of the environment. At Pazo Pondal, the team wishes to play its part in preserving the environment. They are therefore proactively committed to its protection and sustainability. Working closely with experts in the field, the winery started the conversion process in 2015, enhancing and controlling its own organic matter. Organic growing is a pledge to sustainable development. The winery’s goal is to ensure that there is minimal risk of the wine’s aromatic and organoleptic properties being altered through exposure of the grapes to certain chemical products. Pazo Pondal is seeking to obtain organic grapes in a sustainable and balanced manner, preserving the fertility of the soil and respecting the biodiversity of the environment. Everyone working for the winery, and with the family, strives to achieve this sustainability objective.

Wine Characteristics:
The balanced acidity, which makes the wine more versatile to pair with all kinds of foods including meat, its acidity, and complexity cleanse the palate and allows you to change flavors and textures. Of course, the Albariño of Galicia is the purest since the other parts of the world by the soils and other conditions of the climate are totally different.

What is Your Favorite Place in Galicia?
My winery! After so many trips, I get to come and rest on my terrace, on my couch of pallets (which I did during my August vacation), drink wine, and be able to enjoy the view of the whole vineyard. I also have the Portuguese valley in the background and it is truly something magical. There are no words to explain it.

Describe Your Wine and Techniques:
We are a young winery, but we take special care of the details in the almost artisanal process we follow making our wines. The grapes come from partially-organic vineyards, and we harvest gently by hand only the best grapes. To preserve all the character of these grapes, we use indigenous yeast from our vineyards that we have worked the past two years to isolate. We use two types of fermentation and aging in our wines: fermentation and aging on the lees in stainless steel or in single-use French oak barrels. For the Propia brand, we show a lively, aromatic, and persistent side of Albariño. Pazo Pondal is our premium expression and showcases how Albariño can age in the bottle. It is elegant, complex, and made to age beautifully for five or six years.

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