# Arraiano Tinto (2022)

- **Producer:** Cume do Avia
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Caíño Longo, Sousón, Brancellao, Garnacha Tintorera, Mencía
- **Region:** Galicia, Spain
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 10.5%
- **Average price:** €17
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 12–14 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, black pepper, herbaceous, fennel, cloves, smoke, forest floor, game, leather

## About this wine

In 2005, brothers Diego and Álvaro Collarte, alongside their cousins Fito and Anxo, left their metropolitan lives in Vigo to reclaim their family's ancestral land in Ribadavia, which had been abandoned since 1942. Hand-clearing the overgrown forest, they established Adega Cume do Avia to revive nearly lost indigenous grape varieties. Located in the cool, Atlantic-influenced Ribeiro region of Galicia, the estate focuses on organic and biodynamic viticulture, crafting low-intervention wines that express the complex granitic and metamorphic soils of their steep river-valley vineyards.

## Interesting facts

- The winery was started in their grandparents' old garage, which still serves as their makeshift cellar today.
- The founders hand-cleared the ancestral Eida de Mouros site, which had been completely abandoned since 1942.
- Ribeiro's high humidity makes it a 'fungus paradise,' requiring meticulous biodynamic canopy management to survive without chemicals.

## Food pairing

This light-bodied, high-acid red wine acts as an exceptional palate cleanser. Its bright acidity cuts through the moderate fats of pork, duck, and charcuterie without overwhelming them, while its low tannin structure prevents any metallic clash with seafood like octopus. The wine's herbal and red-fruit profile beautifully mirrors dishes seasoned with fresh green herbs or light berry reductions.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested and hand-sorted. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with native yeasts, utilizing a 40% whole-cluster semi-carbonic 'infusion' maceration style over two to three weeks to emphasize fresh fruit extraction and minimize harsh tannins. The wine is aged for nine months primarily in stainless steel tanks to preserve its vibrant, primary character, with occasional use of large, restored ancient Galician chestnut foudres. It is bottled unfined with very light filtration and minimal sulfur additions.