Benito Santos Rías Baixas Albariño

Benito Santos was Albariño's original true believer. His story started in the 1930s, convinced that the grape had a future beyond his father's bar and the local festivities. He was right. He helped define the Rías Baixas D.O. and then defied its conventions.

His biggest contribution to the region has been going organic in a place they call "Spain's green corner" for its relentless rain. While others reached for fungicides to fight the humidity, Santos insisted on working with the land, not against it.

That commitment is the bedrock of the estate today. The team now farms three vineyards in the Val do Salnés, each planted next to and named after an ancient church: Saiar, Bemil, and Xoan. They’ve doubled down on Santos’s vision, farming organically and fermenting with native yeasts—a process that gives this wine its unmistakable sense of place.

The result is an Albariño that tastes like the Atlantic itself. This is a super-oceanic, briny white. The nose is a coastal walk at low tide: salty, stony, and alive with the scent of under-ripe white peach and the first burst of scent from peeling a juicy mango. The palate is all crackling acidity, green apple, and white flowers, leading to a finish that’s pure salinity.