An Update in Ribeira Sacra
Amid uncertainty and turmoil, the aid package for crisis distillation of surplus wine in DO Ribeira Sacra has been announced: growers will get €1.05 per liter of wine they get rid of.
That amount was confirmed on September 27 by the Consellería de Medio Rural, and the official order releasing the funds will be published tomorrow in the Diario Oficial de Galicia, with the deadline to apply for distillation aid set one month from the day after publication.
Galician Wine News Roundup
Crisis Distillation Approved in Ribeira Sacra On September 2, the Xunta de Galicia announced the approval of a crisis distillation order for Ribeira Sacra. The Xunta also activated up to €2M in aid for growers “against any remaining grapes that may remain in the vineyards.” It’s the first time that a Galician DO will recur …
On Location with Adega Algueira
Established in 2005 by Fernando González, Adega Algueira has led a quality-driven revolution in the Ribeira Sacra. Fernando is like the Lorax: he speaks for Ribeira Sacra. He considers himself a mouthpiece for the region, spreading the message of Ribeira Sacra’s history and tradition. Now, second-generation Fabio has joined his father at the helm of the winery.
We spent an afternoon in some of their most iconic vineyards, talking about the Ribeira Sacra’s terroir and what it means to make wine in the land of heroic viticulture.
DO Rías Baixas, IXP Barbanza e Iria Add Ratiño to Approved Grapes
The Ratiño Gallega grape variety is the newest addition to the roster of approved grapes for DO Rías Baixas and IXP Barbanza e Iria. Ratiño is a native variety that survived the 19th-century triple threat of powdery mildew, downy mildew, and phylloxera in the region of Pontevedra, and was rediscovered over 30 years ago by …
In the Vineyard with Rafael Palacios
Rafael Palacios is crafting world-class wines from Godello in Valdeorras. From his 100-point Sorte O Soro to the entry-level Louro, this Riojano has established himself as one of the region’s leading winemakers.
We spent a day driving around Valdeorras, visiting his different vineyards as he explained his philosophy behind winemaking and what makes this region of Galicia the greatest terroir for Godello.
Galician Wine News Roundup
Here’s your Galician Wine News roundup from June and July 2024, translated into English for your convenience.
Galicia’s Monovarietal Madness
How controversial billboard placement speaks to a deeper problem in how Galicia’s wine regions market themselves.
Aromas in Galician Wines, Explained
Describing the aromas in Galician wines requires a little chemistry lesson. Like all wines, the aromas in albariño, mencía, godello, and more come from volatile flavor compounds that are let loose when mixed with alcohol and can be detected by our noses.
Galician Wine News Roundup
Here’s a rundown of what happened in Galician wine in May 2024, translated to English for your convenience.
On the Galician Language, Place Names, and Wine
To begin to think about Galicia, its people, its culture, and its wine, we need to start with the Galician language: galego. I’ve been told I speak Spanish with a Galician accent—the sing-song, musical, rising and falling cadence that’s one of the first things people from the rest of Spain will imitate. “Ah, galleguiño!” they’ll say, using the distinct -iño/-iña diminutive native to Galicia. “Que tal las vaquiñas?”
In Ribeiro, Politics As Usual
Playing politics has its price, and Ribeiro is paying it. Whoever takes over its presidency will inherit a rudderless wine region, trying and failing to emulate the success of Rías Baixas through senseless promotional campaigns…
Furanchos: The Original Natural Wine Bar?
What’s the difference between paying $18 a glass and 80 cents for wines that we can both call natural?
Vine Pruning in Galicia
Here’s a quick overview of the different vine training and pruning styles used in Galicia.
Galician Wine News Roundup
Here’s a rundown of the Galician wine news for March, translated to English for your convenience.
Reinventing Galicia
Miguel Crunia is a sommelier and founder of Edinburgh-based importer and online wine shop Fìon. He’s also a proud Gallego. His group ‘Grupo Orixe’ is advocating for a more terroir-based understanding of Galician wines, and even pushing for a new pyramid of quality based on villages and historic vineyards. We sat down to talk about the challenges of selling Galicia, how he tries to represent smaller wineries, and his vision for the Galicia of tomorrow.
Galicia is Home to 40% of Spain’s Winegrowers: Report
Galicia’s winegrowers make up 39.9% of the national total, making it the autonomous community with the largest number of growers. “The Economic and Social Importance of the Wine Sector in Galicia” confirms wine’s importance as a motor of the Galician economy and also reflects the role grape growing plays in stemming demographic losses sustained in rural Galicia.
From Bordeaux to Galicia: Dominique Roujou de Boubée
Dominique Roujou de Boubée is a winemaker, consultant, and adopted Gallego. He’s used his expertise to advise Galician wineries for over a decade as winemaker for As Bateas, Ponte da Boga, and most recently, an artisan project in O Rosal.
Galician Wine News Roundup
Here’s a rundown of the Galician wine news for February, translated to English for your convenience.
Xurxo Alba: El Capitán
Xurxo Alba quickly established himself as a rising star in Rías Baixas, working out of his family’s furancho-turned-winery Bodegas Almabar. Today, it’s safe to say that he stands among the region’s great growers and winemakers. From the home base in Rías Baixas, he’s gone on to create projects in Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras.
Ribeira Sacra’s Growing Problems
Faced with excess production and no solution in sight, Ribeira Sacra needs to take steps to compete on a global scale and appeal to the modern consumer.