Chantada

Chantada (chahn-TAH-dah), is a subzone of the Ribeira Sacra wine appellation located on the western bank of the Miño River. It’s the subzone with the second-highest number of wineries (20), and its 202 hectares are tended by 530 registered growers. A Little Geography Chantada extends from north to south along the west bank of the …

Ribeiras do Miño

Ribeiras do Miño (ree-BAY-ras do MEEN-yo) is the second-largest subzone of the Ribeira Sacra appellation. As its name (“banks of the Miño”) suggests, it’s located along the eastern bank of the Miño River. Its 358 hectares are home to 816 registered growers, the most out of all the subzones, and 18 wineries. A Little Geography …

Ribeiras do Sil

Ribeiras do Sil is the subzone across the Sil River from Amandi, and the second-smallest subzone of the Ribeira Sacra. It’s got some of the most beautiful scenery in the Ribeira Sacra, with much more than just vineyards. A Little Geography © Noah Chichester, 2022, All Rights Reserved Ribeiras do Sil is located on the left …

Quiroga-Bibei

Quiroga-Bibei (key-ROW-guh bee-BAY) is a subzone of the Ribeira Sacra wine appellation. It encompasses the Quiroga valley, the banks of the Sil and Bibei rivers, and mountainous territory around Manzaneda and Pobra de Trives. Quiroga narrowly beats Ribeiras do Miño for the title of largest subzone in Ribeira Sacra, with 392 hectares and 390 growers. A Little Geography Quiroga-Bibei …

Val do Salnés

The Salnés Valley is the most important subzone in the Rías Baixas DO. Known locally as O Salnés, it has three-quarters of the region’s growers and just over half the appellation’s vineyards. It’s also the subzone with the largest number of wineries: 113 out of Rías Baixas’ 178 wineries are in the Val do Salnés. © Noah Chichester, 2022. All rights reserved. …

O Rosal

O Rosal (O ro-SALL) is a subzone of the Rías Baixas wine appellation located on the border with Portugal in the extreme southwest of Rías Baixas. It’s the DO’s third founding subzone, and also comes in third place in number of wineries and volume of production, with 540 hectares of vines. A Rosal by Any Other …

Soutomaior

Soutomaior was the first new subzone to join Rías Baixas in 1996. It’s the smallest subzone by surface area and production, and the entire production area is in the town of Soutomaior. More to come!

Ribeira do Ulla

The Ribeira do Ulla (“banks of the Ulla,” in Galician) subzone was the last to join the Rías Baixas Designation of Origin in 2000. It’s the largest subzone by surface area, and the only one that straddles the provinces of Pontevedra and A Coruña. Today Ribeira do Ulla produces around 10% of Rías Baixas’ albariño …

Amandi

Amandi (“a-MAWN-dee”), is a subzone of the Ribeira Sacra wine appellation located on the northern bank of the river Sil. It’s the second-smallest subzone with 190 hectares of vineyards and 328 registered growers. Despite its size, it has the most wineries of all the subzones. Amandi has some of the most stunning scenery in the Ribeira …

Rías Baixas: The Ultimate Guide to the Birthplace of Albariño

Rías Baixas (REE-us BYE-shas) is known all over the world for being the home of Albariño: a crisp, saline, acidic white wine that pairs with everything that comes from the sea. But it’s not just Albariño, and it’s not just white wine. Rías Baixas has a lot to offer. Ready to learn more? Read on for …