Bodegas Albamar

For Xurxo Alba and his family, working the land is a way of life. It's what people do with their free time. It's a lifestyle that money can't buy. 

The Albas are a humble and practical family. Both their winery and the two hectares of owned and rented land they work are nestled by the Atlantic, a key natural element in their philosophy and in the wines they make. They are based in Cambados, located in the mouth of the River Umia in the heart of Galicia’s Rías Baixas region.

​​Since 2006, Xurxo has been the face of Albamar, though it was his father Luis who planted most of their Albariño vines long ago, when Xurxo was still a child. For years Luis devoted his time to making simple, label-free wines in the family’s furancho —a restaurant run by his wife Isabel where locals can enjoy some of the region’s best homemade dishes. 

Xurxo is full of energy and ideas, refining the wines his father started into gorgeous Atlantic vintages, his passion taking him to the top rankings of Galician winemakers. His aim is to keep learning and making fresh wines with the Atlantic acidity that characterizes Cambados, a protected area rich in migrating birds.

Xurxo’s winemaking is innovative and experimental as he pursues organic and biodynamic farming in this challenging maritime climate. He ferments his wines exclusively with native yeasts, and adds little-to-no sulfur during production. This is an extremely Atlantic-influenced area, and Albamar wines show that influence beautifully.

Albamar is one of only a handful of wineries in the region using natural yeasts for their fermentation, which has a dramatic impact on both the aromatics and flavour of albariño, giving the wines much more depth, complexity and interest.