If you tell the story of Galician wine, it goes something like this: once upon a time, there was a magical place tucked away in a corner of northwest Spain. It had everything you could ever want: towering mountains and fertile valleys, oceans and forests teeming with life, a noble and generous people, and wine that once adorned the tables of kings.
Sounds good, right? This isn’t a fairytale, this is real. We’re not in sangria, siesta, fiesta Spain. Instead of flamenco and paella, think bagpipes, fog, and brooding sailors. Think of octopus, eating until you burst, and wines that could only come from this place.
Galicia is one of the most exciting wine regions in Spain, and Galician wine can go head to head with some of the greatest wines in the world. I discovered this for myself when I moved to Galicia in 2018. I began immersing myself in Galician wine there, but the start of this project came when I spent a year in La Rioja.
I saw the wealth of English-language information about Rioja wine, but it dawned on me that there was very little written in my native tongue about Galicia. Whoever decided to fill this void had to be able to write in English, speak Spanish, and it would help if they spoke Galician too. Luckily, I check all those boxes, so I began researching all things Galician wine.
I’ve traveled all over Galicia, interviewing winemakers, reading original Galician documents, and researching the story of wine in this corner of northern Spain. The result of this journey is laid out in the “Learn” section of the site, and I’ll continue writing about the world of Galician wine on the blog.
I hope this website provides a resource for people who are curious about the idiosyncrasies of Galicia and its wines, but haven’t had access to information in English until now. Whether you’re a wine professional or simply a wine lover, there’s something here for you. Pour yourself a glass of something gallego and take a look around.
Saúde!
Noah Chichester
Get in touch: noah@winesofgalicia.com or follow me on Instagram