[Collaboration] Vinagres Do Ribeiro and The Call of Primal Instinct

In this eighth collaboration, the spotlight is on Vinagres do Ribeiro, embarking on an ancestral journey where art and the alchemy of vinegar merge into a singular expression. The tasting of these vinegars has been an intimate, immersive experience—a voyage that leads us to rediscover the primal emotions that connect us to our first love. Each variety holds a unique character, a story that unfolds on the palate like an echo of Galician soil. Thus, the artwork born from this collaboration seeks to capture the pursuit of that first love, that first kiss, that fleeting moment that, like art, marks us forever—but not from nostalgia, rather from the most intense, passionate, and primal side, still waiting to unfold and to discover who will be the right person to have the pleasure of that first kiss and create beautiful memories, possibly of a first love that lasts a lifetime.

From the Tribal to the Essential: A Kiss to Our Origins

Each vinegar from Vinagres do Ribeiro is an entry into the most primitive part of our being. Its intense hues—from golden ochres to deep reds—are not just colors; they are traces of an ancestral journey, an echo of the land transformed into flavor, alluding to the rediscovery of our primal self, before romantic love arrived in our lives and in the midst of our search for it.

This artwork presents two main ideas: the search for the first kiss, for first love; and, on the other hand, an adventure rooted in a primordial stage of our lives. First, the artistic piece inspired by this collaboration pays homage to the visual identity of Vinagres do Ribeiro. Its logo, sculpted in wood with African tribal influences, transforms in my interpretation into a face or mask—an ancestral visage that connects with our primitive instincts. When Xoan, the artisan behind these wonderful vinegars, showed me videos and explained his products firsthand, I immediately grasped what he was conveying and connected with it instantly. The ideas began to flow as I mentally transported myself to the scenarios that underpin the two main themes of this piece.

Regarding the colors already mentioned, the dominance of green and blues stands out. It embodies the tribal essence of the piece and the frenetic passion of searching for love and that first kiss, from the core of one's being. The tasting of each vinegar has felt like a small ritual, linking me to that primal essence. Every stroke in the artwork, forming that mask, evokes the sensation of participating in something larger. Just as the tasting of a special vinegar can be a meditative experience, artistic creation follows a near-sacred process. Both are paths to the essential, a return to the roots and to a sensory language that transcends words—because in the language of love, words are unnecessary, and nothing compares to that first experience of feeling profoundly connected to someone. By tasting the vinegars, we immerse ourselves in a ritual that reconnects us with what makes us human—love.

When I saw the sculpture representing Vinagres do Ribeiro and listened to Xoan express his deep appreciation for filling the entrance of his establishment with color, I immediately envisioned how I would bring life to that primal being standing at the entrance—that guardian, the champion of vinegars. I didn’t think of coloring it, as I would leave its body untouched, but rather of how I could enhance its identity, making it come alive through the adoption of this mask that takes center stage in the piece. I can't deny being inspired by the video game The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and other cultural references. Thus, I imagined how this sculpture might come to life—as a kind of guide, a shaman—to lead me in the proper approach to tasting Vinagres do Ribeiro and the "kiss to our origins".

Vinagres Do Ribeiro: A Kiss to Our Origins

For this collaboration, Vinagres do Ribeiro kindly sent me their Pack Degustación, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. This pack includes: Albarro XPI – 250 ml – Acidity: 6ºAlbarro XPII – 250 ml – Acidity: 6.5ºAlbarro XPIII – 250 ml – Acidity: 7ºSpecial Pimientos de Padrón – 250 ml and pearl format – Acidity: 6.5ºSpecial Semi-Sweet Raisins – 250 ml and pearl format – Acidity: 7º.

These vinegars combine spectacularly well with a variety of recipes that Xoan also shared with me. I’ve personally tried them with salads, octopus, and other recommended pairings, and I’m eager to test them out in marinades soon. Notably, alongside the five bottles, the pack includes the fascinating pearl format for the Pimientos de Padrón and Semi-Sweet Raisins varieties. And now, my experience—always from a personal perspective rather than as a formal tasting.

What a beautiful journey reconnecting with that first kiss. In my case, it was through the Pimientos de Padrón vinegar. I enjoyed them all, but this particular one transported me back to the girl I was so enamored with in third grade. Fate separated us during adolescence, sending us to different schools and paths, but destiny also reunited us many years later—around 15 years later—when she coincidentally moved to the same neighborhood as me, just nearby. The casual encounter with her and her mother rekindled the flame of my first love, compelling me to reconnect with her. We spent several days together, and it was deeply nostalgic—I still liked her just as much as I did back then. Unfortunately, she did not feel the same, and she was already in a committed relationship, likely one that continues to this day. It was bittersweet, but such is the nature of first loves.

Vinagres do Ribeiro transported me to those cherished memories—not from a place of longing, but rather with warmth and recognition of the passion I once felt toward that secret love. The balance of acidity and sweetness in these vinegars brought forth those emotions anew. Thus is life. Thank you for reigniting that spark of emotion and helping me capture the essence of irreplaceable moments, recreating everything that once made me fall in love, reflected in this creative process alongside the guardian of the mask—the guide who leads us through this magical journey.

Vinagres Do Ribeiro and the Call of Primal Instinct

Each of these vinegars has enchanted me, both in bottle and pearl format, making them even more special. In every sip, that delicate balance between acidity and sweetness resurfaces, evoking memories of first love or that first kiss. Every sip is a ritual, a nod to our deepest instincts, the thrill of discovering something new, and—why hide it yet again—the nostalgia of what once shook us.

Every bottle from Vinagres do Ribeiro holds more than a mere ingredient; it is the result of a refined alchemy. The sensory experience it provides is a testament to the power of flavor, much like art, in evoking emotion and transporting us elsewhere. It returns us to our instincts, our essence, our first loves, and our roots. Each encounter with these vinegars is the revelation of a kiss—one that was, one that could have been, or perhaps one that never was and never will be but remains forever etched in our memories as a feeling we longed for so intensely (even if we try to deny it) that, even if only in our dreams, it came true. Thank you for making this experience possible, Vinagres do Ribeiro.