Bodegas Martin Codax, Lías Albariño, 2021

The Martín Códax Lías Albariño is beautifully aromatic, with notes of juicy pear, crisp apple and white peach, with layers of complexity from the lees ageing: yeast, vanilla and fresh-baked bread. It has masses of up-front appeal from the first sip, with juicy richness, fresh fruit, cream and warm brioche notes, and a long, refined finish. It comes from the Pé Redondo vineyard, and undergoes regular stirring ('bâtonnage') of the fine yeast lees for 6 months, followed by resting on the same lees for a year, and then a further six months in bottle. This process helps develop layers of complexity and subtle, rich, creaminess, while at the same time preserving tip-top freshness. This is a magnificent Albariño.