Pazo Señorans, a Rias Baixas winery in Spain

Pazo de Señorans is a Rias Baixas winery in Vilanoviña Meis, Spain. The winery, located in a 16th century Manor House, is a family winery that was started in 1989 by Marisol Bueno and Javier Mareque. Today their four children are in charge of the winery. The focus of Pazo de Señorans is on the Albariño grape variety. It should be noted that the Manor House is representative of a Galician house-style.

In addition to producing Albariño wines, Pazo de Señorans is producing distilled spirits. Their current portfolio includes Herb-Flavoured Aguardiente Pazo Señorans with 37.5% alcohol and Aguardiente Orujo Pazo Señorans with 41% alcohol

The Albariño vines are planted on a pergola system. The vineyards are influenced by the Atlantic ocean and rivers and as a result have mild temperatures. Rainfall is significant except for summers when it tends to be dry. The soil is mostly a sandy granite type which results in grapes having a tendency to have notes of minerality. The grapes are hand harvested which usually begins during the third week of September.

Visits to Pazo Señorans include: the story of the winery, appellation information, a visit to the vineyards, a distilling explanation, a visit to the Manor House and cellar and a Pazo Senorans tasting. Travelers and tourists who wish to visit Pazo Senorans can request a visit through the Pazo de Señorans website.

At the Rias Baixas wine tasting this spring, we tasted the Pazo de Señorans Albrariño 2015 wine. This yellow wine had 12.5% alcohol and retails for $21. The aroma and taste offered notes of stone fruit, some citrus and mineral with a hint of salt. the wine was medium-bodied with with an oily mouthfeel. The wine offered a sense of the exotic. Wine pairings suggested included all types of seafood such as octopus, squid, shrimp, salmon, swordfish and oysters.

Paxo de Señorans winemaker is Ana Quintela who kindly replied to our online interview questions.

Winemaker Ana Quintela at Pazo Senorans 

What are your most enjoyable aspects of winemaking? 

Harvesting. Waiting an entire year to pick-up the grapes and elaborate de wine. The result is always more satisfactory than expected.

How and when did your wine journey begin?

My career was focused on biology and I found a professional path related to the field I was passionate about through a person I knew.

Why did you decide to start making wine? 

I found a great opportunity at the best momentum, when the D.O. was taking a new direction.

How many hectares of grapes are you growing? Which varieties are you growing?

I only work with albariño. We have around 197 acres, including external sourcing.

What do you wish you knew when you started making wine that you now know?

When you start you miss all the experience.

To what do you contribute your success as a winemaker?

Constant work and to my sensibility.

Albariño is a very food friendly wine. What types of foods do you like to pair with Albariño wine?

Albariño is the perfect pairing for food. I love to pair it with a baked fish, grilled crustaceans or Asian cuisine.

Many thanks to Ana Quintela for answering our questions. Look for Albariño wines at your local wine shop.

Cheers!
Kathy