Galicia. 5 Regions
Galicia is divided into five wine regions - Rías Baixas DO, Ribeira Sacra DO, Monterrei DO, Valdeorras DO, and Ribeiro DO. All regions, except Ribeira Sacra DO, produce both white and red wine, but Ribeira Sacra DO produces mainly red wines from Mencía grapes and a very, very small percentage of white Godello. Ribeira Sacra DO, where grape harvesting and winemaking is called Viticultura Heroica, forms a landscape that should be included in your itinerary if possible as the steep mountains, rocky soil, and 2000-year-old vine terraces are an inspiring sight to enjoy from one of the Regina Viarum wineries in the region, which has won several international and local awards for its red wines. They are the only one in the region that offers very good organic wine. The property is located on one of the highest points from which you will feel both the beauty and the taste of the region.
The region's most stable and popular appellation since 1988 is Rías Baixas DO where, 90% of the wine is made from the world-famous Albariño grape, although 12 grape varieties are allowed. The green landscape, Atlantic climate, and soil provide for wines with excellent taste and aroma. Not only Albariño, but also other grape wines such as Brancellao, Loureira, Souson, Treixadura, and Mencía.
Monterrey obtained the DO status in the early 1980s, but since the winemakers did not want to develop and improve, this status was taken away in time. The winemakers, realizing that this would not lead to anything good, began to modernize both the winery and the care of the vineyards, and in 1994 Monterrey regained its DO status. Both red and white wines are produced here from grape varieties such as Alicante (Mouraton), Godello, Mencía, Palomino, and a few more.
Valdeorras may have been one of the first grape-growing regions in Galicia. The vineyards are established mostly in the valley of the Silas River. The region obtained DO status in 1945. The white grape variety Godello is the most recognized and loved here, but Mencía is the most-often used red grape.
On the other hand, the Ribeiro region, which produces both fruity, fresh, and crisp white wines, as well as deep and rich red wines, got its DO status back in 1957. Although it has been very difficult for the grape growers at times because the enemy of the vines, phylloxera vastatrix (a louse harmful to vines), has also visited here, the region is becoming more and more recognizable and stands out with increasingly high-quality wines.
By the way, the pearl of the Atlantic coast is precisely Albariño, which is also often referred to as "wine of the sea". There are stories that the origin of this grape variety is related to Riesling and was brought to Spain by German knights, but other versions say that it came here from France, thanks to the order of French monks from the Kliny Monastery. Modern DNA analyses prove that Albariño is an indigenous Spanish grape variety with small berries that have a perfect balance between the thickness of the skin and the flesh, providing the opportunity to create a perfectly balanced and fruity wine with a golden hue and a floral aroma.