Made from the estate’s oldest vines. Green-tinged yellow. Intense aromas of candied lime, lemongrass, white flowers and minerals, with deeper smoke and anise notes building in the glass. Bright and lively on the palate, offering concentrated, focused citrus curd and honeysuckle flavors that stain the palate. The mineral quality comes back strong on the very long, vibrant, sharply focused finish, which imparts a suave floral quality.

The 2009 Pazo Pineiro Lusco Albarino comes from a single 2.2 acre parcel and was aged sur lie in large French oak for 6 months. Light gold in color, it exhibits an alluring perfume of lemon meringue, melon, jasmine, nutmeg, and ginger. Creamy on the palate (likely from the nicely integrated oak) with savory flavors, impeccable balance, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish, it is an outstanding effort that will provide pleasure for another 4+ years.

The low-yielding, 25-year-old vines at Pazo Piñeiro lend substance to this wine’s bees­wax, fresh cream and honeyed flavors. It has a yellow flower scent and nutty, loquat-like fruit. Even so, the mineral acidity is almost aggressive in its power, needing time to mellow with a year or two in bottle.

This is Albariño in fine form. The nose is succulent and marble-smooth, with pure citrus and melon aromas. The palate is lively but refined, with exuberant citrus flavors that come on strong but with proper restraint. Long and ripe on the finish, which only adds to the experience. Drink now.