By Vanessa Ferguson, Account Manager
In the world of winemaking, some stories bloom from unexpected beginnings. Vimbio represents a journey that intertwines family, nature, and the art of winemaking. On a recent trip to the Galicia in July 2024, the Indigo team and a handful of customers met with vignerons Martin Crusat and Patricia Elola at their winery in Rías Baixas, where the focus is producing terroir-driven, single vineyard whites, from a blend of native varieties, while making a promise to preserve the land around them.
A serendipitous start
The tale of Vimbio began with Martin’s family, who purchased the vineyard property in 1985. In 2012 whilst living in Amsterdam, they were faced with lack of work in their specialist areas of biology and environmental science. So, Martin and Patricia decided to return to Galicia, ready to embrace their roots and make a go of things in the winemaking world.
By 2015, the family had established a winery on their 2.5-hectare estate, infusing insights from their environmental and biology background into sustainable grape growing and winemaking practices. The Vimbio vineyard (interestingly, meaning ‘willow’, a nod to the traditional Galician use of willow branches for trellising the vines) is situated at 60 meters altitude and cultivates a variety of grapes including Loureiro, Albariño, and Caíño Blanco, each contributing their own unique flavours to the wines.
Indigenous vines and heritage
Out in the vines, Martin gave us an insightful explanation of the indigenous varieties that they grow, and what each variety lends to the blend. Loureiro and Albariño are the cornerstones of Vimbio’s production. Loureiro is cherished for its aromatic bay leaf notes, Albariño for salinity and as the most expensive grape in Spain at £3 a kilo, it is a standout feature of their vineyard. Some of the vines, planted as early as 1985, are among the estate’s oldest. Caíño Blanco, Martin explained, contributes a lively acidity to their blends, ensuring a balanced and complex wine profile consistently year on year.
Navigating climatic challenges
The region’s maritime climate is both a blessing and a challenge for Vimbio. With abundant rain, late frosts, and soaring temperatures that reached up to 38°C on our trip, the vineyard faces significant hurdles. The high value of unplanted land in Rías Baixas also, underscores the area’s viticultural potential and the high stakes involved.
Despite facing challenges like fungal disease and climate change, the estate seems to adapt to the hand they have been given and thrives. They balance traditional methods with new innovations, managing crops organically and using strategic spraying to combat disease. In 2018 they lost most of their fruit due to mildew – even with Martin and Patricia’s microbiological knowledge – the threat of mildew each vintage is growing in severity as the fungus adapts and grows in resistance to the sprays which are used extensively by winemakers in this wet region.
Vimbio’s winery is adorned with a roof topped with plants designed to regulate air temperature, exemplifying their commitment to sustainability. They are also known for their extensive use of cover crops, promoting biodiversity in the vineyards and to work in partnership with nature. However, they also contend with the impact of poor pruning practices in the past, which can shorten a vine’s lifespan to just 25 years. Desiccation caused by pruning too close to the arm, highlights the importance of meticulous vineyard management.
Crafting exceptional wines
Producing only around 1500 bottles yearly, Vimbio prioritises quality over quantity in what is truly an artisan production. Martin explains the process from vineyard to bottle, telling us that all the fruit is harvested by hand, followed by a cool, gentle pressing to preserve aromatics before a spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in stainless steel tanks.
Martin & Patricia focus on low intervention wines with minimal sulphites, a topic they spoke passionately about at length during our visit. Their most recent harvest in 2023 of Loureiro and Albariño, harvested earlier than usual due to rising temperatures, in order to retain the grapes’ acidity and freshness, adapting to the ever changing climatic conditions.
Vimbio’s unique terroir, a mix of shale and clay soils, consistently yields ripe grapes and brings to the surface a sense of place when tasting the wines. Through meticulous vineyard management, Vimbio ensures high-quality harvests despite the threats and barriers they face.
Looking ahead
Vimbio is poised to continue producing exceptional wines while navigating the evolving challenges of climate change and viticultural practices. Their dedication to sustainability and quality places them as a notable producer in the region. The resulting wines speak for themselves : these are pure, vivid wines with bags of green fruit character. But they also have an alluring savory side to them of almonds and bay.
In essence, what I learned about Vimbio on this visit was that it is more than just a vineyard; it’s a story of family resilience, a profound connection to the land and the indomitable spirit of Galicia.
