Adegas Albamar

Capitán!! That’s the affectionate name by which Xurxo Alba is known to everyone in Rías Baixas, and an appropriate moniker for the person whose family winery is intimately linked to the sea. The Alba family didn’t have to think too hard when deciding on a name for their winery—they combined the family name with the thing that defines their vineyards. Both their winery and the roughly two and a half hectares they farm are a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean.

Xurxo’s energy is infectious, and his personality finds his way into the wines, which are brimming with vigor. El Capitán is charting a new path forward while respecting the area’s tradition and remaining pragmatic in the vineyard. Working from a philosophy of “maximum respect,” his wines defy being put in a box of “natural” or not. He tries to incorporate organic farming wherever he can, but recognizes that it’s nearly impossible not to treat vines for downy and powdery mildew in Spain’s wettest wine region. It’s clear that his winemaking journey is far from over, but he has swiftly established himself as one of the finest winemakers working in Rías Baixas today.