Nanclares y Prieto

Alberto Nanclares and Sylvia Prieto have a way with Albariño — there’s a reason their tiny lots from biodynamically tended parcels around the village of Castrelo sell out so fast. They seem to channel the Atlantic — the powerful saline tide and rich green coastline of Rias Baixas.

It started when Alberto and his wife moved to Rias Baixas in 1992. He loved the sea and sailing, so what better place to retire than there? They bought a house in the seaside town of Castrelo, which just so happened to come with some abandoned vines. Initially, Alberto had no plans of making wine. But he soon began learning from his neighbors. 

In 1997, he started a tiny winery in his garage, working with an enologist, and the project has grown from there. By 2007 he had completely sworn off of chemicals and taken over all winemaking duties. In 2009, at a wine tasting in the area, he met Silvia Prieto. They clicked, and in 2015 she joined for the harvest and then as a winemaking partner. 

Together, they’ve continued raising the bar for Albariño. Elegant and precise, rippling with notes of stone fruit, wild herbs, and spice threaded by a chalky minerality. Those who taste Nanclares y Prieto wines once are hooked. And because of the tiny production size, there’s never enough of this stuff to go around. It’s one of those “if you see it, snag it” type of wines.