VITICULTURE&WINEMAKING

ALBARIÑO Bodega Fillaboa produces wine that expresses the subtlety and depth of their terroir. Albariño, the renowned native grape of Rías Baixas, shows complex aromatics and beautifully structured acidity that make memorable, elegant wines. Fillaboa is fermented in stainless steel tanks and ages on fine lees for six months, lending texture and complexity. Due to the strong backbone of alcohol and acidity, Albariño ages exceptionally well, gaining depth and complexity over time.

ARTISANRY All wines are produced in small volumes from unique parcels and vinified separately, ensuring care and attention is maintained at every step. Operating with a philosophy of minimum intervention, Fillaboa use only native yeasts in fermentation. The wines are not clarified and minimal doses of ascorbic acid and sulphur are the only products added. Duetotheripenessofthegrapes,thewinesusuallydonotgothroughmalolacticfermentation.

FINCA MONTE ALTO TheprizedMonteAltopago,whichfeatures17acres(7ha)ofvineyardthatsitatthehighestpointof theestate,isespeciallynoteworthy.BenefittingfromastrongAtlanticcharacter,thisemblematicplotlies492feet(150m) abovesealevel.ProximitytotheMiñorivergivesthesoilasandy-loamtexturewithlotsofpebbles,idealforcultivation. The winesmadefromthisparcelareextremelylimited–Fillaboaproducedunder1,000caseslastyear.

Howistheterroirreflectedinthewines ofFillaboa?

The Albariño cultivated in Fillaboa vineyards shows ripe fruit like pineapple and citrus, and balanced acidity when young. The Atlantic influence, southern hillside exposures, granitic and alluvial soils and lees-aging produce wines rich in substance that evolve and age without the intervention of oak. The acidity will continue to support the palate and the aromaticsforyearstocome.

Fillaboa prides itself on balanced wine. Foregoing any malolactic fermentation, the acidity instead balances the alcohol, producing exceptionally drinkable wines thatmaintaintheircomplexitywithage.

BODEGAFILLABOA PORTFOLIO:

Fillaboa Selección Finca Monte Alto, Fillaboa, Fillaboa 1898

Singularitiesofthewinery

Fillaboa is the largest estate in Pontevedra province, and contains one of the largest single extensions of vineyard in all of DO Rías Baixas. It is a rare example ofachâteau-stylewineryintheregion.

Didier Belondrade wanted to create a French-style “vin de château” where the wines would authentically express thier terroir of origen. His discovery of the untapped aging potential of Verdejo led him to Rueda. In 1994, Belondrade’s dream came true when his winery launched in Nava Del Rey. Two years later, the first vintage of Belondrade y Lurton was released and its success echoed around the globe as the winery debuted in the Japanese and American markets. Today, Belondrade has expanded its selection of wines while maintaining its commitment to the Castilian Meseta and its terroir.

KEYFACTS

CLIMATE: Continental:coldwintersand short,warmsummers;highdiurnaltemperature shifts.HighwindsfromApriltoJuly

ELEVATION:2,460feet(750m)

SOILS: Mixofsand,clayandpebbles alongsidelimestoneveins

VINE: 98acres(40ha)ofvineyards,divided into23plotsofvaryingsizesandages

KEYVARIETALS:Verdejo,Tempranillo, Syrah,smallamountofwhiteRhonevarieties

ECO: Certifiedorganic;installationofsolar panelstosupportrenewableenergyuse

INNOVATE: Experimentswithcovercrops

CLASS: DORueda,VdTCastillayLeón

History

The production of Belondrade wines began in a rented facility in Nava del Rey in 1994. Now, they are produced in the winery’s own facility located in the town of La Seca, on top of the Castilian plateau and just a few kilometers from the Duero River in Tordesillas. The winery was designed by Vincent Defos du Rau and is reminiscent of the Castilian Meseta, which seamlessly blends into its surrounding environment. In 2012, 12 years after the opening of the winery in La Seca, Belondrade inaugurated the barrel cellar. They will debut a new building in 2023 inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House (Illinois, USA) which will house the offices and the reception center.