How did Gredos’ most famous name end up with a passion project in Galicia? In short: by salvaging years of work with friends.

It’s no news that Spain’s biggest names are staking claims in Galicia. Telmo Rodríguez is in Valdeorras, Vega Sicilia is making a play in Rías Baixas, and—most excitingly, and perhaps the most natural fit here—Dani Landi and Fernando García of Comando G have ventured into Ribeiro with their Adega a Barouta. It’s tiny (1.7 ha), inspired, and finally stateside with the release of their second vintage.

If last year’s look at Augalevada showed how no-sulfur natural wines can capture Ribeiro, this initial release from Adega a Barouta shows how fine-wine pioneers can frame this rugged landscape—and its indigenous varieties—with collectible finesse.

For eight years, the duo behind Comando G (Dani and Fernando) worked with their friend Javier Alén at the historic Viña Mein (which he owned at the time), transforming the farming and completely elevating the quality of the vineyards in the process. When Javier sold Viña Mein, they decided to keep working together—and gave life to a passion project born out of friendship.

But unlike so many side projects from famous names, their work in Ribeiro feels like an expansion of their portfolio, not a diversion.

Like Gredos (home to Comando G's famed vineyards), Ribeiro is defined by granite; only here, the mountains are swapped for river valleys, where the surrounding greenery adds a cooling touch to granite’s intense impact on fruit.

The vineyards they acquired in the villages of Leiro and Cabanelas (including one with a huge granite boulder breaking through the ground, front and center  in the label illustration for their 'O Penedo') are planted to old vines of native varieties: Caiño and Brancellao for reds, and Treixadura, Albariño, Caiño Blanco, and Loureira for whites. These sites yielded tiny amounts in their first vintage, 2020.

One of their (clearly) granite packed vineyards; photo via La Buena Vida

Fans of Comando G won’t be surprised by the gentle approach in the cellar — or that they now have Roberto Núñez on board as vineyard manager and cellar master (preceded by his original work in Chile and many years with Comando G). All of the wines are natively fermented and bottled without fining or filtration. Aging differs across the three cuvées—both in vessel and in length—shaping distinct traits in each.

The throughline between them is a purity of fruit that calls to mind another great in the area, Luis Anxo Rodríguez.

The reds show the signature peppery, wild-herb aromatics found here; the whites lean into quince-like and wild floral notes, all wrapped in a generous, powerful texture that speaks to the team’s pedigree. A very fine and delicious addition to the work in Ribeiro.

2023 Adega a Barouta 'Ventoleiro' Blanco, Ribeiro, Spain $69
80% Treixadura, 20% Albariño, from 20-50 year old vines in Val do Avia. Whole bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of steel, wood, glass and concrete tanks; aged 12 months in a mix of barrel, demijohn and stainless steel.

2023 Adega a Barouta 'Ventoleiro' Tinto, Ribeiro, Spain $69
50% Caíño Longo, 50% Brancellao, from 30-50 year old vines in Val do Avia. Fermented 100% whole cluster in tank, aged 7 months in 10 HL Stockinger.

2021 Adega a Barouta 'O Penedo' Tinto, Ribeiro, Spain $171
50% Caíño Longo, 50% Brancellao, from 60 year old vines in Val do Avia. Fermented 100% whole cluster in tank, aged 16 months in 5 HL barrel.

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