Carlos Carballo

Origin

The wines of Carlos Carballo come from A Pobra do Brollón, a municipality in the province of Lugo, Galicia, Spain. Although his winery is located in the Ribeira Sacra, Carlos deliberately produces his wines outside of the DO regulations. The region lies in the northwestern corner of Spain and is renowned for its rich winemaking tradition. Here, Carlos tends a beautifully situated vineyard – the Parcela A Burata dá Salamanca.

The Winemaker

Carlos Carballo runs his micro-winery with dedication and deep respect for nature and the traditions of the region. His wines, Viña Aurita and Xcelso Patao, are a tribute to his late mother Aurita and his father, nicknamed Patao. Despite his age, his father still helps every day in the vineyard. Carlos vinifies nearly all the native grape varieties of Galicia. This diversity reflects his commitment to preserving Galicia’s traditional varieties without the use of chemicals, ensuring that the wines reflect the terroir in its “unmasked” form. Carlos and his father Patao describe themselves as enólogos artisanos (artisan winemakers), producing characterful wines from pure and healthy grapes.

Philosophy

Carlos’ wines reflect the essence of this extraordinary terroir. With a focus on minimal intervention and meticulous handwork, he creates wines that express elegance, authenticity, and the unique personality of the Ribeira Sacra. Carlos is strict in selecting who may acquire his wines, reserving them only for those who share his philosophy and value the wines as nature provides them each year. As a result, the wines vary annually, mirroring the climatic conditions. In 2023, Carlos suffered immense misfortune: more than 70% of his potential harvest was lost, and from his white wine Aurita, he was only able to bottle 14 bottles. Each bottle is therefore a true rarity.

Vinification

The vinification of the white wine is carried out in a minimalist and natural manner: the grapes are pressed with their stems, without destemming. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with native yeasts at controlled temperatures between 17°C and 19°C, regulated simply with water and hoses. After fermentation, the wine undergoes natural clarification without reusing the lees, and it passes through malolactic fermentation as with red wines. The wine is neither filtered nor fined. For bottling, a semi-automatic filling machine with 10 coarse filters is used to remove impurities, while preserving the natural character of the wine as much as possible. For the red wines, the grapes are fully destemmed and undergo spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, without the addition of enzymes, nutrients, or other aids, to preserve the natural qualities of the wine. During fermentation, remontado (pumping over) is generally used, but in the 2022 vintage only bazucado (gentle punch-down of the cap) was applied. After or just before the end of fermentation, the wine is left to rest on the skins for 2–3 days before being clarified without pressing the pomace. The press wine is not used but instead made into vinegar or discarded. Over the year, the wine is naturally racked 2–3 times to remove lees. This approach leads to significant losses, both from discarding the press wine and rejecting the sediment, but ensures that the wine remains clear, pure, and unadulterated.

Distinctive Feature

No oenological corrections: Carlos Carballo refuses to artificially modify or “beautify” his wines. He emphasizes that his wines are powerful and intense, with strong aromas that may not please everyone – a deliberate choice. With a limited artisanal production, such as only 250 bottles of Viña Aurita Blanco 2021, Carlos Carballo focuses on quality over quantity. His wines are crafted in small batches to guarantee the highest care and attention at every stage of the process.