2023 Fulcro o Equilibrio Albarino

Bodega Fulcro began as a small garage project in Val do Salnés, where Manuel "Chicho" Moldes quietly built a reputation for thoughtful, site-driven Albariño. He now works a collection of tiny, old vine parcels, many on the granitic sand soils that define the area, farming organically and harvesting by hand to keep each plot separate from the outset. Fermentation is handled with a light touch in the cellar, relying on indigenous yeasts, used wood and no malolactic conversion to preserve the clarity of each site. The result is a style that reflects both the coastal setting and the underlying granite, and it has quickly placed Fulcro among the region's most respected small producers.

O Equilibrio is the original Fulcro bottling, sourced mainly from the Xesteriura vineyard with its schist-granite profile, complemented by two small parcels in Arra. Fermentation and ageing take place entirely in old French oak, giving this cuvée a more focused, vineyard-specific identity within the range.

Other Reviews....
The wine that started it all goes even one step further in nuance, complexity and even balance. I'm taking about the superb 2023 O Equilibrio, cropped from a very balanced year with good ripeness and very good freshness. It's precise, multifaceted, subtle and elegant, with incredible detail, focused and precise like a laser cut. The word is balance, which is what the wine's name means. They aim for more complexity and structure than A Pedreira, produced mostly with grapes from the Xesteira vineyard on schist soils and two small plots on sandy soils in Arra. It fermented and matured in used 400- to 700-liter French oak barrels for 11 months. It has the following parameters: 13% alcohol, 3.26 pH and 7.9 grams of acidity. At this price, the quality is unbelievable. It should age beautifully. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2024. Drink 2025-2033.
96+ points
Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate