Pulpos – a Rias Baixas Specialty

I think if we just called it pulpos more people would try it.  Pulpos is prepared in many different ways in Rias Baixas, all with the objective of keeping it tender to eat.  Some barely poach it, others stew it for an hour.   Being of Japanese heritage, I was raised eating pulpos – octopus – raw, so I was delighted to eat it in as many ways as our various hosts could prepare it.   At the Adegas D’altamira, their technique is to dip the live octopus in boiling water nine times – not eight times, not 10 times – just nine.  They then dressed it simply with the local olive oil and seasoned it with a sprinkling of sea salt and paprika.

Most of delicious seafood we enjoyed in Rias Baixas was blessedly prepared very simply, and it was all delicious.  The pulpos first course was served with the Adegas D’altamira Seleccion, 100% Albarino, which is pure and crisp and paired well with the simplicity of the pulpos.  The lobster and rice second course was served with thier Albarino Brandal Barrica 2006 aged in oak for six months, undergoing batonnage (stirring of the lees) every other day for three months.  Since their wines do not undergo malolactic fermentation, the wines retain their crisp acidity but have rich mouthfeel from lees ageing.  Nice pairing with the rich lobster!