Club Vinissimus Selection July 2021

Galicia, much more than Albariño

The first thing that usually comes to mind when we think about Galician wines, is the idea of sitting in a bar or restaurant in a small coastal town enjoying a cool glass of Albariño from the Rias Baixas DOC. But let's not forget that the world of wine in Galicia is much more diverse than this idyllic image.

To start with, not all Rias Baixas wines are white ones. Nowadays there are more and more wineries using traditional grape varieties to create surprising red wines. And, although Albariño is the region's star grape, other white varieties are also used to produce splendid wines. Lesser-known local varieties are sometimes blended with Albariño, but some are also used to make single-varietal wines with their own unique personality, such as the Altos de Torona Caiño.

Galica is not all coast, either. If we look eastwards, moving inland past the historic Ribeiro DO appellation, home to classic white wines, we come across, firstly, the Ribeira Sacra DO and then the Valdeorras DO. Both regions produce white and red wines and share a commitment to the Mencia red grape variety. In fact, Mencia rules over all other grapes in Ribeira Sacra whereas in Valdeorras it shares the stage with Godello and others. The Atlantic climate is less influential in these two areas, with the contrasts of the continental climate moving into play. The more inland we travel, the more notable its effects are on wines. Galician Mencia wines are balanced, fresh and juicy; they display more acidity in RibeiraSacra and more body in Valdeorras. In a nutshell, both regions create delightful harmonious wines ideal for enjoying at any time of the year, even in the summer.