Galicia is also tagged by Pedro Ballesteros Torres as and "emergent" Spanish wine region.
Located in the northwest portion of the Iberian penninsula, Galicia is known for cool, moderate temperatures and green, lush, rolling hills. Its five official DOs (Ribeiro, Ribeira Sacra, Monterrei, Valdeorras, and Rias Baixas) are known for crisp, aromatic white wines from Albarino, Loureiro, Torrontes, Godello, Caiño Blanco, and Treixadura.
 |
| Galicia (Source: wineandvineresearch.com) |
DO Monterrei
DO Monterrei takes its name from the medieval castle which dominates the area.
 |
| Monterrei Castle |
The DO falls within the Douro River Valley (as most of its vines are planted in the valleys along the Tamega River, itself a tributary of the Douro) and has two sub-zones (Slopes of Monterrei and Monterrei Valley) and three growing districts (Pazo de Monterrei, Oimbra, and Tamaguelos).
The climate is continental, warm and dry during the summer and very cold in the winter. The mountain ranges proximate to the DO, combined with its distance, limits the moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean. The rain-shadow effect -- caused by the mountains -- limits annual rainfall to 23 inches, less than 1/4th the 93 inches experienced by Rais Baixas, a DO that is closer to the ocean. During the ripening period, the area experiences 20-degree diurnal temperature variation.
Elevations in the DO range between 300 and 900 m.
There are three major soil types in the DO:
- Slate and Schist
- Granitic and sandy -- low pH soils resulting from the erosion of granitic rock
- Sedimentary.
Aromatic white varieties (Godello, Treixadura, Dona Blanco, Albarino) comprise 67% of all plantings.
While Galicia is primarily known for its white wines, Ribeira Sacra is known for its reds; and, especially, its Mencia.
Winemaking in Galicia originated with the ancient Romans and those traditions were upheld during the Middle Ages by the monks who resided in the still-evident monasteries. This religious history is captured in the DO name -- Ribeira Sacra -- which translates to Sacred Shore. But this winemaking tradition collapsed with the Italy-wide movement from farms to cities in the last century, resulting in the loss of know-how and varieties.
Riberia Sacra attained its DO in 1996. Its approximately 1200 ha (2965 acres) hugs the the contours of the Miño and Sil rivers prior to their convergence and the transit of the surviving Miño into Portugal,. The landscape is dominated by steep slopes and river canyons with some vineyards resident on 50-degree slopes. The steepness of these slopes require "heroic" farming a la Mosel and Liguria.
 |
| Source: https://ribeirasacra.org/ |
While the Galician climate is considered Atlantic, Riberia Sacra's remove from the coast renders it continental: long, warm summers and cold, wet winters. Soils here are well-drained slate and granite.
Spanishwinelover.com observes that: "... Ribeira Sacra seems to have ticked off all the boxes to become a top player." There are some challenges, however:
- Removing a single ha of traditional vineyard, including stone walls and a railing system to transport harvest cases uphill, costs between 80,000 and 100,000 euros. Solution is potentially to replace stone walls with soil terraces
- Villages are empty
- Difficult to hire people; once hired, they need to be trained.
According to Jancis Robinson:
... Galicia has been increasingly valued by Spaniards as their one source of fine, often exotically scented, crisp white wines. The top Galician wines, usually made from the Albariño grape, are some of the most sought after in Spain and have a growing following around the world.In addition:
- The complex, age-worthy wines of Valdeorras made from the formerly ignored indigenous variety Godello has been grabbing attention outside the region and the notice of experts such as Jancis Robinson
- "Ribeiro is building a reputation for fresh, elevated Treixedura-driven wines made from grapes planted on hillside terraces."
- Spanishwinelover.com observes that: "... Ribeira Sacra seems to have ticked off all the boxes to become a top player: breathtaking landscapes with dizzying vineyards; a great array of local grape varieties in the process of being recovered; the complexity derived from the diversity of soils, exposure, and elevations; and a generation of terroir-driven, quality-focused producers determined to leave behind the attitudes and short-sighted views of yesteryear."
******************************************************************************************************
The regions identified as emergent by Torres in his initial article are:
No comments:
Post a Comment