Washington Albarino v. Rias Baixas

This year's Vuelta Espana traced a unique route from East to West primarily hugging Spain's Northern border before ultimately finishing in Madrid.  The racers followed a route similar to people following the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, just with more mountains and kilometers!

Stage 16 was a medium mountain stage tracing a route through the Rias Baixas region along the Western edge of Spain.  The stage was shortened due to protests at the finish area, with Egan Bernal crossing the ad-hoc finish line first to take the stage victory.

This Lucha Vino matchup brings the chaos with Vibe Cellars 2023 Albarino vs. 2023 Morgadio Albarino

Washington Albarino v. Rias Baixas

The Vuelta a Espana is the final grand tour of the season for the pro cyclists.  This race never gets the credit it deserves since it happens so late in the season.  By now, the Tour de France has already happened and most cycling fans are preparing for Cyclo-Cross or the World Championships.  That means that some high class racing usually goes unnoticed.

Well.  Surprise, surprise!  This years Vuelta has been more exciting than the Tour de France.  The race started in the North Western Spain and featured plenty of exciting racing.  The action in the first week of racing featured a team time trial, sprints, mountain top finishes and several changes in the overall race leadership.  

This week's Lucha Vino challange features an Albarino from Washington taking on a classic Albarino from Rias Baixas.

2015 Crayelle Albarino v. 2015 Granbazan Albarino

Washington Albarino v. Rias Baixas

Spain has seen plenty of race action over the past 5 weeks.

First there was the Vuelta Espana, Spain's grand tour always seems to take a back seat to the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.  For that reason the Vuelta's organizers are always looking for new, and challenging, routes.  They changed things up this year by finishing with an Individual Time Trial in the Rias Baixas region rather than the usual flat, fast run into Madrid.  The finish might have been unusual, but the winner was certainly familiar - Alberto Contador recovered from breaking a bone in his leg in July to take the Vuelta victory in September.

Next came the World Championships that just wrapped up this past weekend.  There were some great races and another well known, yet unexpected, rider took the Gold Medal in the Men's Time Trial.  Brad Wiggins has had an wild ride the past three years, starting with a win of the Tour de France, followed by a falling out with his team and then culminating with the Gold medal last week.  Throw in a relatively unknown rider from Poland winning the Men's Road Race and Marian Vos' not winning the Women's World Championship road races and you have the recipe for an exciting week of racing!

In a salute to Northern Spain this week's matchup features an Albarino from Washington taking on a Rias Baixas Albarino.

Aniche Cellars 2013 Come and Go Albarino v. Paco & Lola Albarino