The Galician coast of northwest Spain is world renown as one of the truly great fish and shellfish fisheries on the planet. The variety and quality are simply overwhelming. Just a few kilometers inland lies the denominacion of Rias Baixas where the Albariño grape is king. Not surprisingly, the wines made in this region are among the best in the world when matched with fish and shellfish.

The Vásquez Abal family has been producing wines in the area for many decades. Their winery, Carballal, is a compact, high quality operation that seems perfectly designed for their 15 hectares of grapes. All harvesting is done by hand, only organic fertilizer is used, and chemical treatments are used only when absolutely necessary. The wines are fermented and aged in stainless steel vats after being pressed with a gentle bladder press.