Pronounced LAH' SHUS, this is a luscious introduction to the Albariños of north-west Spain. The Albariño grape grows in very small clusters and has both high sugar and high acidity that give the wine softness yet freshness. The tendency for the grapes to rot in the damp climate near the Atlantic Ocean is ameliorated by a special overhead trellis system that encourages air circulation. Bodegas As Laxas was founded in 1862 and is still family-owned. The terraced vineyards face south and overlook the Mino River which separates Spain from Portugal (Joel visited the property in 2016). Bodegas As Laxas was the first bodega in the region to be awarded the status of D.O. Rias Baixas. This unoaked wine is straw-colored and bright with an aroma of fresh herbs and semi-ripe apples. With good body and an alluring freshness of fruit, it is lively, balanced, and refreshing with tangerine acidity and ripe fruit flavors of pear and pineapple. It pairs perfectly with scallops, mussels, lobster, and other seafood.