Bodegas Zarate Balado 2024
94 pts Vinous
Drinking Window 2025 - 2035
The 2024 Albariño Balado comes from an old vineyard in Padrenda, Meaño. This was planted to low, old pergolas on very shallow soils. It fermented in stainless steel with fine lees and no bâtonnage. This is pure and bright, with floral and lime aromas, a touch of apple and quince. It is fresh and lively, with medium weight. The 2024 is complex with a vivid finish. - By Joaquín Hidalgo on September 2025
The most powerful in mineral terroir experession and also the most structurally profound with riveting acidity matched with citrus and salinity.
Vineyard & winemaking: This wine is from two parcels of ungrafted vines, planted in the 1950’s in a Clos (or Balo in the local dialect). Here, there is only about 40-60 cm of topsoil over a bedrock of solid granite. Vinification is in steel tank, and malolactic fermentation is blocked. As such, this is often the most taught, chiseled and mineral-driven in the line-up, and can often require some bottle age to reveal its full potential. Vinification takes place in stainless steel with wild yeast. The wine is aged on the gross lees for 3-6 months and then on the fine lees for 6 months.
An incredible track record here too:
2023 - 95WA/96VM
2022 - 94+WA
2021 - 95+WA
2020 - 95WA
2019 - 94WA
2018 - 95WA
Description
94 pts Vinous
Drinking Window 2025 - 2035
The 2024 Albariño Balado comes from an old vineyard in Padrenda, Meaño. This was planted to low, old pergolas on very shallow soils. It fermented in stainless steel with fine lees and no bâtonnage. This is pure and bright, with floral and lime aromas, a touch of apple and quince. It is fresh and lively, with medium weight. The 2024 is complex with a vivid finish. - By Joaquín Hidalgo on September 2025
The most powerful in mineral terroir experession and also the most structurally profound with riveting acidity matched with citrus and salinity.
Vineyard & winemaking: This wine is from two parcels of ungrafted vines, planted in the 1950’s in a Clos (or Balo in the local dialect). Here, there is only about 40-60 cm of topsoil over a bedrock of solid granite. Vinification is in steel tank, and malolactic fermentation is blocked. As such, this is often the most taught, chiseled and mineral-driven in the line-up, and can often require some bottle age to reveal its full potential. Vinification takes place in stainless steel with wild yeast. The wine is aged on the gross lees for 3-6 months and then on the fine lees for 6 months.
An incredible track record here too:
2023 - 95WA/96VM
2022 - 94+WA
2021 - 95+WA
2020 - 95WA
2019 - 94WA
2018 - 95WA
