History
The Barros family has grown Albariño grapes since the 1970's. At that time the Regulatory Council had not been formed and grape production was done informally on tiny plots of land.
José Barros planted 100.000 m2 of vines, which at that time was one of the most decisive commitments to Albariño as well as one of the largest vineyards in Galicia.
After the creation of the Denomination of Origin, the winery was founded under the name Maior de Mendoza, after a family's commitment to a land and its history, as Lady Maior de Mendoza was the wife of Fernando Mariño de Lobera Monterrei y Soutomaior who, among other tittles, held that of Lord of Trabanca after which the location of the winery is named.
History of the Albariño grape
Albariño is closely linked to history and legend, like almost everything in Galicia. One theory says that the variety came from the Order of Cluny to the Monastery of Armenteira in the twelfth century and that from there it spread to the rest of the Salnés Valley and Portugal. Another theory, defended by the famous Alvaro Cunqueiro, links the origin of Albariño to the Order of the Cistercian founded in 1094 in the Cote D'Or Burgundy, birthplace of the Montrachet or Mersault.
What is certain is that both, Cluny and Cistercian, were related to their care and elaboration. But science tells us that the origin is earlier, that Albariño has been in Galicia for over a thousand years. Even so the theories go on....perhaps it was the Germanics in the 5th century with their peninsular invasions who brought it from Central Europe (hence the phonetic "dawn of the Rhine" .alba rhino), or perhaps the Romans took the wine of Amandi and brought the albariño, or the Phoenicians in their sailing and trade from the east brought it from the Caucasus , origin of the first vines.....
Philosophy
From the very beginning our philosophy has been based on getting the best out of the Albariño variety, taking care of it with the greatest respect for the environment and maximum professionalism.
Our objective has always been to understand the rhythm of the vineyard, the grape and the wine, adapting all our working processes to them, understanding three key elements: the variety, the soil and the climate.
This philosophy underlies and is reflected in all our work procedures and has always been more than just a job; it is a way of life. We believe that only in this way, from our passion for this marvelous variety, can a decisive commitment to quality be made.
Plots
In the 1970s we planted the largest albariño vineyard in Galicia, today one of the jewels of the D.O. vineyards, being among the first registered in the Regulatory Council, with the registration number 10.
Our plots are all located in the Salnes Valley:
granitic-sandy pieces of land, protected from the north wind on sloping hillsides that allow drainage and in plantation frames with wide pathways to aid ventilation.
Our main estates are grouped in two different areas of the valley:
they are Finca Las Tablas and Coto de Xiabre, on the slopes that fall towards the seafaring population of Carril. These are the northernmost estates in the entire Salnés Valley, facing the Atlantic, with more rocky soils, full of “xabre” (fragmented rock) that are also located at a higher altitude than usual in the area: mountain vineyards where the winery is located.
The Iglesario, Tallón and Finca El Hórreo are in the heart of the Salnés Valley, between the famous Armenteira Monastery and the capital of Albariño, Cambados, with soils on softer slopes, granitic, but somewhat sandier and at lower altitude.
We carry out sustainable agriculture, in which we have been pioneers in the DO working without using herbicides for more than 30 years.
The basis of the work is manual labor without mechanization and thus prevailing respect for the vine and low yields. We use 6 x 4 mts planting frames, with wide ventilation corridors, facilitating the circulation of the Atlantic wind, our greatest ally against moisture, naturally reducing mildew and botrytis, we fight insecticide-free moths with confusion traps, and endless other tasks throughout the year.
Work on the different plots is done in different ways depending on their needs as determined by our experienced and highly trained technical team, as each plot has its own rhythm and special features.