Description

Mar de Frades, a Galician word meaning “Sea of Friars”, is the name given to the location opposite the ría Arousa, at the mouth of the river Umia, where the old pilgrims disembarked to continue their journey towards Santiago de Compostela. Avant-garde and daring, a sea of contrasts that seduces by its complexity where the Albariño shows its most surprising nuances.

Rías Baixas is made up of five subzones, across six river valleys and four estuaries on the granitic, schistous and alluvial soils of the Galician coast – is the home of Albariño, an indigenous white grape variety that is just perfect for summer. The grape is noted for its distinctive botanical aroma with a citrous undertone, very similar to that of Viognier, Gewurztraminer, and Petit Manseng, suggesting apricot and peach. The wine produced is unusually light, and generally high in acidity with medium alcohol levels.The history of Mar de Frades has always run parallel to that of the D.O. Rías Baixas (Spanish Denominación de Origen or Denominación de Orixe in Galician), which emerged the following year. They were pioneers in the place that represents the deepest winegrowing traditions of the Val do Salnés, where the legend of Albariño begins and Spain’s most sophisticated and elegant white wines are produced. That little spot in the ocean, associated with a century-old tradition of cultivating Albariño, was the space chosen in 1987 to create a bodega inspired by the style of the Atlantic.

The Val do Salnés is located in Galicia, in the north-west of Spain. There, at the foot of the Valiñas Estate, on the side of a mountain facing the ría Arousa that cools the Atlantic breeze that caresses the vineyards. It is where Mar de Frades wines are born. The Mar de Frades bodega stands in the middle of this spot, with its slender grey figure of granite and copper, polished by the harsh Galician climate. Born with the goal of creating wines that would reflect the water’s personality and character. The vineyards in Rías Baixas are fragmented into thousands of small, disperse plots across the entire region. Mar de Frades is one of the biggest vineyard owners in the region and more than 50% of the grapes that go into this wine are grown in owned vineyards, but they also work closely with more than 100 growers in the area.

The graphic of crashing waves on the label is part of the winery’s soul. Related to the Atlantic, related to the sea. “We have a big Atlantic influence,” says Paula Fandiño, chief winemaker for the Mar de Frades Winery. The wines are “saline and fresh”.

The vines are trained in a pergola system to help ventilate the grape bunches to prevent fungal diseases in these conditions of high rainfall and humidity. Albariño is made for this climate. It has thick skins that aid resilience – but the thick grape skins are also full of terpenes, compounds that give wonderful citrus and fruit flavours. Albariño always has bright acidity and moderate alcohol levels – a perfect summer wine.

An excellent paradigm of the Galician landscape, the 7 hectares that make up the Valiñas Estate vineyard lie upon terraces on the south face of the Valiñas mountain, offering breathtaking views of the ría and the Albariño vines coming up to receive the Atlantic breeze. The soil on the estate is extremely poor, made up of decomposed granite and sand, which give our wines their mineral character, while its low yield allows us to concentrate the authentic essence of Mar de Frades.

Albariño also takes to ageing. Mar de Frades vinify the Albariño from Finca Valiñas separately and age them for five years. This intensifies that feel of the ocean even more.

Paula Fandiño is the winemaker. Since she was very young, Paula’s passion has been the countryside and vines. Her wine-growing culture was passed down to her by her ancestors. Qualifying as a Technical Agricultural Engineer at the University of Santiago de Compostela, she is specialised in the branch of Agricultural and Food Industries, and is also an Agricultural Engineer, specialising in the fields of winegrowing and enology. Under her direction, Mar de Frades has become one of Spain’s wineries of reference, and one of the most prestigious white wine brands in the sector, receiving multiple awards for both its wines and for Paula Fandiño herself, who in December of 2016 was named one of the most influential female enologists in Spain by the prestigious British magazine Drinks Business.

Produced by the Zamora Company, also owners of Ramon Bilboa, Lolea, Cruz de Alba and Martin Miller’s Gin.

Committed to our seas.

https://www.mardefrades.es/en/sea-conscious/
http://www.wineriesforclimateprotection.com/v_portal/apartados/apartado.asp?te=128

In 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. This fact was published in the study The New Plastics Economy, presented at the World Economic Forum which was held in 2019 in Davos (Switzerland). It is estimated that 8 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in our planet’s oceans each year, although this figure could increase tenfold over the next decade unless the global community proves its waste management practices.

Mar de Frades wants to shed light on this reality, from its local surroundings, through the eyes of photographer Enric Gener, whose work is not only a true reflection of his passion, admiration and respect for the sea, but also serves to raise awareness about the importance of conserving it. Sea-Conscious was born at the hand of Mar de Frades in response to the problem of the plastic invading our oceans. This photography project consists of beautiful images by Enric Gener inviting us to reflect on our lifestyle and to send a message of hope.

Other awards :

International Wine Challenge Commended Winner 2016;
International Wine & Spirit Competition Quality Award;
Bronze Decanter Award 2015;
Silver Decanter Award 2015;
Gold Sommelier Wine Awards 2015;
Silver Sommelier Wine Awards 2014;
International Wine Challenge Bronze Winner 2014;
International Wines and Spirits Competition 2014, Silver (Albariño).

References :

https://www.mardefrades.es/
https://www.facebook.com/MardeFrades/
https://zamoracompany.com/
https://waveofchangemalta.com/
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/110618/neil_agius_enters_world_record_books_with_1256km_nonstop_swim_from_linosa_to_gozo
https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/07/08/after-a-near-death-experience-this-olympian-is-breaking-swimming-records-for-the-environme