@RiasBaixasWines

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn about #RiasBaixas #wine from Advanced #Sommelier Yannick Benjamin tweet to @RiasBaixasWines !

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Yannick @RiasBaixasWines to say hello & so he knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: As we ask Yannick Benjamin our Qs, you can ask your Qs as well! He'll do his best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 @keepercoll & @RiasBaixasWines 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #wine with #Advanced #Sommelier Yannick Benjamin tweeting on @RiasBaixasWines ! #SommChat

Gregory White PR @GregoryWhitePR: Ready, set, #SommChat! #riasbaixaswines @RiasBaixasWines @keepercoll #winelover #albarino

Charles Comm PR @CharlesComm: Q @YannickBenjamin What first sparked your interest in the #wine industry? #SommChat @keepercoll

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @RiasBaixasWines Yannick, can you tell us about the varying styles of Albarino and why there is an increase in aged #Albarino? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll I love the Sparkling #Albarino that is being made now and you will see more of it on the market in the future! #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll #Albarino has plenty of acidity and the complex soil that exists allows this varietal to age and be complex #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @RiasBaixasWines How with the rising temperatures will we see more red varietals such as Caino, Mencia, Espediero, coming from Rias Baixus? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll while I was in the south of Galicia I tasted some delicious and very generaous styles of reds. #SommChat

Irene L @i_on_food_drink: Keep (eye emoji) peeled for this #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Great to see you @i_on_food_drink today on #SommChat and thanks for the S/O for @RiasBaixasWines

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @RiasBAixasWines Have you traveled to #Galicia and what can you tell us about the history of #wine in the area? Is it easy to set up tastings?

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll the region has always been making wines but I would say it is within the last 30 years that wineries & demarcated appellations have been setup. One statistic that impresses me is that 50% of winemakers are female! Go @RiasBaixasWines and go women winemakers! #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll I was in the beautiful region of Galicia this past January and I fell in love! Not only with the beauty of the landscape but the kindness of the people. #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll the region has always been making wines but I would say it is within the last 30 years that wineries & demarcated appellations have been setup. One statistic that impresses me is that 50% of winemakers are female! Go @RiasBaixasWines and go women winemakers! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm are the reds easily available in #US and do you have some you would recommend for #wine list? How would you describe their profile to know how to describe to customer @RiasBaixasWines

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll unfortunately production of red wines in Galicia accounts for only 2% of the production so finding them in the US will be a challenge. But I would say keep your eyes open for them in the future. #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll the red wines of Galicia are soft, ripe, generous and very similar to Gamay and Dolcetto with a hint of spice @SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome back @ridesmith to this #SommChat on @RiasBaixasWines

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @StephanieMiskew great to see you back on #SommChat today - do you have any fav @RiasBaixasWines or just here to learn from @YannickBenjamin ?

Stephanie Miskew CSW @StephanieMiskew: I’m using an Albarino in a wine tasting event next week. They are such wonderful, food-friendly white wines for sure & didn’t’ know they made sparkling Albarino. Can you share some of your fave producers please? #SommChat #WineWednesday

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Hello! Sparking Wines are made by a good amount of producers but please keep in mind that it is a fairly new category for them all. So finding them in the US could be hard. Your best bet might be Martin Codax if you can get it and I had it before and it is delicious #SommChat

Stephanie Miskew CSW @StephanieMiskew: Good information to know on #SommChat!

Kathy Wiedemann @Virginia_Made: I’ve had Martin Codax Albarino many times but not the sparkling. I will seek it out. #SommChat

Charles Comm PR @CharlesComm: Q @RiasBaixasWines How does Albarino wine change with terroir? #SommChat @KeeperColl

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Hello! The main production is Val do Salnes where it is north and cooler than let's say the southern producing regions of O Rosal and Condado do Tea where they tend to be warmer. #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Val do Salnes is right on the Atlantic and the wines tend to have a high salt content flavor themselves and the soil tends to be more granite #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: O Rosal and Condado do Team are more south so that means riper wines and also the soil is much more rockier as well #SommChat

Harley Carbery @harleywine1: Good morning from Vegas #sommchat! How is @keepercoll @YannickBenjamin @RiasBaixasWines doing today?

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @harleywine1 it is great to see you back on #SommChat and we are doing well especially since we have @YannickBenjamin on today to talk about @RiasBaixasWines How are you?

Harley Carbery @harleywine1: Great thank you! #cheers #SommChat

Patricia Clough @eatandrun: Hello my fave wine ladies @damewine @hvwinegoddess @rshreeves @CoriSolomon @NNKWineDiva @Virginia_Made @PB_and_Jaleh Follow along to learn more about Albarino from Rias @RiasBaixasWines #WineWednesday

Kathy Wiedemann @Virginia_Made: Yes, . @YannickBenjamin is on now via the @RiasBaixasWines twitter account on #sommchat - join in!

Jaleh Najafali @PB_and_Jaleh: Joining in now! #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: Just off a conference call and saw the note from @eatandrun so I’m tuning into #SommChat

Patricia Clough @eatandrun: Yay!!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @RiasBaixasWines Everyone talks about #Albarino can you tell guys ore about the other #white grapes produced in the area? Do they come to US? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: You will notice that a lot of the same red and white grapes that are grown in @RiasBaixasWines are also grown in Portugal specifically in the Vinho Verde region #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: I might have missed it, but what are the red varietals that grow in the region? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: There are 3 main red varietals that you want to look out for but the main one is Mencia indeed! but you have Caino and Espadeiro as well. I also tasted some Souson which is a typical Portuguese varietal #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: OMG we are doing Mencia for #WinephabetStreet in June bit.ly/2tMNigf #SommChat Can I hit you up @RiasBaixasWines for info?

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Whatever help you need you can DM @YannickBenjamin or @RiasBaixasWines anytime and we will be happy to help you! Thank you so much for your support #SommChat

Stephanie Miskew CSW @StephanieMiskew: Important things to know about Spain’s Rias Baixas Wine Region! #SommChat #WineWednesday @RiasBaixasWines

Jaleh Najafali @PB_and_Jaleh: Are the reds becoming more popular stateside at all? Or is Albariño still the wine that everyone knows about? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Hello there! #Albariño is still the king of the hill when it comes to wine production and red wines is still a small number but I am sure you will see some reds come in the US more and more in the future! #SommChat

Gregory White PR @GregoryWhitePR: Great #wine insights about #Albariño from #RiasBaixas happening now with @YannickBenjamin on #SommChat @keepercoll @RiasBaixasWines. #winelovers take note... #wine #education

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: Q if there was one thing you would want consumers to know about Rias Baixas and Albarino, what would it be? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll The one thing that I want everyone to know about #Albariño is that is can age and it has unbelievable complexity and there is a reason why there are 5 subzones that exist within Galicia @SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: @keepercoll no subregion is alike and each #Albariño that comes from a specific subzone will be different because of the terroir #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: Always thought to drink now. Would love to do a vertical tasting on them to see the differences. I guess I'll have to stock up and hide them from myself #sommchat

Jaleh Najafali @PB_and_Jaleh: I rarely think about aging most whites, certainly never thought about #Albarino Good to know #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @RiasBaixasWines How has the Atlantic had a huge influence on the #wine style of #RiasBaixis ? THX to @XurxoLobato for this great #photography #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Great question! This is super important! all the winemakers will tell you the that saltiness that is brought in from the wind is unusually sticky and they are all convinced this sticky saltiness is what gives #Albariño this unique aromas @SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Thx @eatandrun for getting the word out today about #SommChat with @RiasBaixasWines and @hvwinegoddess so glad you heard so you can learn with us all too - can’t wait to see UR Qs

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: So great to see @Virginia_Made back on #SommChat sharing in us all learning about @RiasBaixasWines

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PB_and_Jaleh welcome to #SommChat with @RiasBaixasWines look forward to your questions

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @RiasBaixasWines you mentioned the rocks in the region - is this typical thoughout or isolated for one area - which grapes grow best in this geology #SommChat Thx @XurxoLobato for pic

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Love talking about geology! Keep in mind that granite is certainly prominent throughout Galicia but there is a good amount of diversity where you will find sandstone, slate, and pockets of clay so no #Albariño is alike and can be very different! #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Just think of it as the Chablis of Spain! #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Soil diversity in Galicia is incredible! #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: The one thing to know about #Albarino is that it an age well. #SommChat

Kathy Wiedemann @Virginia_Made: I’m guessing the ageability is all about the acid? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Hello Kathy! Acid is always the magic key for aging…But I think the soil has a lot to do with it as well. #SommChat

Gregory White PR @GregoryWhitePR: #wine friends and #Albarino friends, check out #SommChat for #somm great insights happening now! @foodphilosphy #complot212 @demilove @mmtakemiami @vinogger

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm what got you interested in @RiasBaixasWines region do some of the white grapes age better than others - can you get older bottles from the wineries, Yannick?

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: First off I have always love both the wines of Spain & the culture. I have to Spain of 4 different occasions and I love it every time. My least favorite thing is how late they like to eat! #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: When it comes to aging #Albariño is the grape that does it the best for sure and I think that will always be the case. But you never......I would say @pazosenorans does a spectacular job when it comes to aging and their 2009 is now on the market! @SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Amazing to see this mist/fog in the photo by @XurxoLobato - can you describe if this is typical all year long or just certain times and if so when and what effect does this have on the grapes? #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm what is the oldest #Albarino you have tasted and what do you think is the latest average drinking time for the @RiasBaixasWines ?

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Wonderful question. The oldest #Albariño that I had was over 15 years old and it had a lot of petrol notes to it and it was delicious and definitely needed food! #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: I would say that the average #Albariño that is made to age should last about 10 years and showing at its peak #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Thx to @XurxoLobato we can show off some #food from #Galicia @RiasBaixasWines can you share some fax pairings with #white and reds #wines from the area. #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: #Albarino is a wonderful and complex varietal so do not over think it when it comes to pairing. But my favorite pairing is oysters with #Albarino #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: #Albariño but the acid is so vibrant you can pair it with white meats because the acid will cut right through it! #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: #Albarino with Sushi is magical #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Yannick @RiasBaixasWines you mentioned you tasted petrol on the older #Albarino - is it similar to petrol on #German #wines and if not how different

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: It does have that same Petrol quality that you find in Riesling but not as oily on the texture and more citrus aromas @SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: Sounds like it ages like Riesling #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: @RiasBaixasWines our first #WinephabetStreet was #Albarino #SommChat

Patricia Clough @eatandrun: A is also for Awesome! Great to see.

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm are the @riasbaixiswines #Albarino #wines so different that you would have >1 on BTG list and can you recommend some ?

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: This is a great question and to be honest there are least 15 producers that come to mind that I would suggest but each one has its own unique characteristics and it is up to you to make that decision and what makes sense for your program #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm are the @riasbaixiswines #Albarino #wines so different that you would have >1 on BTG list and can you recommend some ?

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: This is a great question and to be honest there are least 15 producers that come to mind that I would suggest but each one has its own unique characteristics and it is up to you to make that decision and what makes sense for your program #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @RiasBaixasWines Can you tell us about your first time experiencing sparkling #Albariño? What was your reaction? Can you describe tasting notes, i.e. mousse etc #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: I tasted my 1st Sparking #Albariño when I was overlooking the Atlantic at about 300 meters high and it was stunning! It was very similar to Cava with a more salty feel to it and a bit more floral! Not overly creamy but angular and delicious! #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: Sounds absolutely wonderful! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @RiasBaixasWines Yannick, Are there any #wine trends in the #RiasBaixasWines region that you expect to see in the future? #SommChat

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Two trends that we have discussed today more to come in the future for the US market is aged #Albariño and sparkling wines for sure. However there is a promising future for the red wines as well #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm what are the biggest markets for @RiasBaixasWines and is there one main distributor in #NYC?

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: The US is the largest market for Galicia but there are a good amount of distributors here in NYC that do an incredible job representing @RiasBaixasWines. Just ask your rep to bring you some samples or just DM us and we will be happy to help you all out! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Wow has this #SommChat hour has flown with @RiasBaixasWines by @YannickBenjamin Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #RiasBaixas #wine talk

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: It was great to have Advanced #Sommelier Yannick Benjamin join us today for #SommChat about @riasbaixaswines . We hope everyone learned as much as we did!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Advanced #Sommelier Yannick Benjamin for his time teaching us about the beautiful #wines of @riasbaixiswines #SommChat

Debbie Gioquindo, CSW @hvwinegoddess: Thanks for the reminder of #SommChat @eatandrun Glad I was able to stop in! Now I'm thirsty for some #Albarino!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yes thanks @eatandrun and @hvwinegoddess thanks for your great questions and comments about @RiasBaixasWines on #SommChat today!

Patricia Clough @eatandrun: So good to see you here & I'm sure @RiasBaixasWines can help with that!

Yannick Benjamin @RiasBaixasWines: Thank you all for being part of this great convo and thank you @keepercoll for all the great work that you do! Hope to share a glass of #Albariño with you all soon! #SommChat

Gregory White PR @GregoryWhitePR: #Wine #trends to take note of on #WineWednesday! Thank you to @YannickBenjamin and @keepercoll for today’s enlightening #SommChat. #RiasBaixasWines #Albarino