Brancellao · DO Valdeorras

This is one of the most sought-after reds in Galicia, and for good reason. A Costiña is made entirely from Brancellao, a grape that came within a breath of disappearing forever and that this family rescued from oblivion. It's delicate, floral and fresh, the opposite of what most people expect from a red: here, elegance leads, not power.

It's worth it for what it represents. Tiny production, numbered bottles, a grape that was almost lost, and a single hillside that gives it its name. It's a collector's wine without the collector's-wine pose.

Reach for it when you want something different and full of soul: a quiet dinner, a bottle for someone who has tried everything, or simply the pleasure of drinking a variety almost no one else bottles.

What makes it special

Alan de Val is a family winery in A Rúa, Valdeorras, founded in 1993 by the three Sánchez Rodríguez brothers, building on generations of parents and grandparents devoted to vineyards, nurseries and winemaking. From the start they made a rule that still defines them: they work only their own vineyards.

Their real mission is rescue. Brancellao was once the most widely planted grape in Valdeorras, then it nearly vanished at the end of the 19th century, too fragile against disease and phylloxera. Alan de Val were the pioneers who brought it back. A Costiña is the wine that proves it was worth saving.

The name is the place. The wine comes entirely from a single vineyard called A Costiña, set on a south-facing mountain slope so this sometimes-delicate variety can ripen fully. Valdeorras sits in the valley of the river Sil, on hard-draining slate and granite that pushes roots deep, with a climate caught between Atlantic damp and continental swings. Everything is picked by hand.

Tasting profile

Colour: Pale, luminous red, more translucent than most reds.

Nose: Aromatic and floral, red berries, violets, a light herbal freshness.

Palate: Fine and delicate, with bright acidity and a mineral, almost weightless feel. There's real energy here rather than weight.

Finish: Fresh and clean, with lingering red fruit and a saline lift.

Winemaking

Made entirely from Brancellao grown in the A Costiña vineyard, hand-harvested. Aged 18 to 20 months in French oak barrels, with very limited production and numbered bottles. The oak is there to hold and shape a fragile variety, not to mask it. Current vintage: 2020. [Fermentation detail, native yeast and whole-cluster use to confirm with winery.]

Food pairing

Its freshness and delicacy make it a fine partner for lighter dishes. Try it with roast chicken, pork loin, or roasted vegetables, where its bright fruit lifts the plate rather than overpowering it. It also works beautifully with soft and semi-cured cheeses. Serve it slightly cool and it's genuinely food-friendly across a whole meal.

Serving temperature

Serve at 14 to 16°C, a touch cooler than a typical red. That gentle chill keeps the aromatics and freshness sharp. A short time in the glass lets the floral side open out.

Ageing potential

Delicate doesn't mean short-lived. The acidity and mineral backbone give it room to develop over the next 5 to 8 years, where the primary red fruit and florals settle into something more savoury and complex. Lovely now for its energy, rewarding later for its depth. 

Technical details

Who is this wine for

For the curious drinker who has moved past big and bold and wants finesse, freshness and a story. For lovers of delicate, aromatic reds and cool-climate styles who like the idea of drinking a grape that almost disappeared. And for anyone who values rarity that's real: numbered bottles, one hillside, a variety brought back from the edge.