Espadeiro

Synonyms: espadeiro tinto, caiño redondo, gascón, torneiro, padeiro, Ferrol, espadal, padeiro de basto.

Red grape from the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Some place it in Portugal and others in Spain, in the province of Orense. Whether its original origin is here or there, this variety thrives in Galicia, specifically in the Rías Baixas designation of origin. It seems to have traditionally settled in the Salnés Valley (a subregion of the Rías Baixas DO) long before albariño spread throughout the area.

It has a medium-short cycle with early budding. Stylistically it is a very interesting variety, even though it is a minority variety. Capable of producing wild wines, with plenty of colour and rich acidity. Some experts claim that it allows short ageing, we understand that in barrels and with low levels of toasting, as it is a subtle grape in which the wood could eventually dominate the wine. In our opinion, we also consider bottle ageing as another way for the wines of this variety to grow.

Because of the climate and location where it grows, there is a tendency to show balsamic traits, common in these places to other red varieties. Its most remarkable feature is that it tends to show a lot of red fruit, both on the nose and on the palate.