Coming up this week with Maestrazgo Wine Club is our tasting on the wines of Galicia, a region that has been producing wine for as long as anyone can remember but has at times been pigeon-holed due to its great success with the aromatic white wine made from Albariño, typically in Rias Baixas, which in all fairness is a delicious, modern Spanish style of wine. Often referred to as ‘Green Spain’ due to its cooler, wetter climate in comparison to the rest of the country, this North-Westerly corner is home to 5 DOs and a whole host of different producers, wines and styles. Historically as well, this region is diverse with the Celts the first people to inhabit the region, followed by a procession of different would-be conquerors from the Swabians to the Visigoths, the Moors to the Romans before finally joining Spain in 1492. From the rolling hills of Ribeira Sacra to the rugged, salty coast-line of Rias Baixas, this is a beautiful little corner of the country that is increasingly being realised as a top holiday destination, and with good reason. Perhaps the best seafood in the country is to be found here and the iconic pilgrimage, El Camino de Santiago, regularly attracts those searching for spiritual growth.
As far as the modern wine industry is concerned, the flagship of Galician production is right on its coast; DO Rias Baixas (‘low estuaries’) has come to define the region to a certain extent with its crisp, vibrant white wines made from the Albariño grape which have become popular both locally and internationally. There are 5 different subzones within the DO, each with slightly differing styles, climates and regulations when it comes to production. Small quantities of red wine are also produced, which we’ll be looking at in our tasting, but white certainly dominates. The white wines made here are some of the very finest in Spain and have rightly cemented their place as a great wine in international circles, with America in particular quick on the uptake when it comes to importation. In the name of exploration, this week we will be trying a red wine from the region, Goliardo Caiño 2013, produced by Bodega Forjas del Salnés using the Caiño tinto grape variety, also known as Borraçal in neighbouring Portugal, which is famous for being highly perfumed and acidic as befits the cool climate in which it’s grown.
Perhaps the second most important area in the region is DO Ribeira Sacra, or “sacred hill” as it literally translates to. This is probably one of the most aesthetically stunning regions in the entire of Spain, with green, verdant rolling hills towering over the rivers Sil, Miño and Cabe. Slightly warmer and dryer than Rias Baixas over a bedrock of slate, the grape that is rising to prominence in these parts is certainly Mencia for red wines, although a great deal of good quality white wine is made as well from Godello, Treixadura and Loureira. With over 100 producers now plying their trade in this increasingly popular area, it’s only a matter of time before Ribeira Sacra starts to become known outside of niche circles. Indeed, it is already forging an international reputation for the light, crisp and peppery style of Mencia commonly produced and consumed here. The wine we’re going to taste to get a feel for this region is the wonderful Castro Candaz A Boca do Demo 2013 created by the mercurial Raúl Pérez; the regions most celebrated oenologist and wine consultant.
DO Valdeorras or ‘Golden Valley’ is the furthest inland of the Galician wine regions, making it the most continental with hotter summers, longer ripening periods and cooler winters. Whilst perhaps lacking the natural beauty of the regions closer to the Atlantic Ocean, Valdeorras has its own charm and style, with many of the rivers being diverted and dammed to create artificial beaches for landlocked towns. Despite there being a plethora of grape varieties available, the most quality-minded producers are focusing heavily on Godello for white wines and Mencia for reds and rosé wines, although this latter option is increasingly being blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache for a little extra kick. Wine is the main export of the region and it gives us an excellent opportunity to try a Mencia-based rosé wine, in this case Avanthia 2014; a crisp, peppery Rose that has spent 3 months ageing in barrels to give it an extra textural feel. A truly lovely wine from a high quality producer; I’m very excited to present it!
DO Monterrei is probably the least commercially important region in Galicia as far as wine is concerned, with barely 23 Bodegas, up from 5 in 2006. Historically Monterrei was an important part of Spain’s defences against Portugal in the medieval ages and included, unsurprisingly, a monastery famous for its teachings and of course, its wine. Due to the low production volumes of wine, exports are not common and it can be very hard to source a bottle of wine from DO Monterrei without digging around a little bit. The best wines are, like much of Galicia, produced from Mencia, Godello and Treixadura although these tend to be the minority of production due to the scarcity of top-quality vineyard sites here. We’ll be looking at how well a lesser known region can do with the Godello grape; a high acid, refreshing but still quite powerful grape variety that typically expresses itself to its fullest on the slatey soils of Valdeorras. Minius 2015 is produced by Adegas Valmiñor, more commonly associated with production in Rias Baixas but well positioned to produce white wines of verve and character.
DO Ribeiro has perhaps the longest history of quality wine production of all the DO’s of Galicia, having been exporting wine in reasonable quantities to Italy and England a long time before any other regions even existed, and unsurprisingly it is something of a powerhouse in the region, partly due to the forward thinking co-operative in the area; Cooperativa Vitivinicola del Ribeiro. Now nearly all winemakers and bodegas are equipped with modern equipment and continue to forge a path ahead, mainly focusing around interesting blends of white varieties, bringing the best of the other regions together at very competitive price points. We’re going to look at this style through a delicious bottle of Coto de Gomariz Blanco 2014, a blend of Treixadura, Godello, Albarino and Loureiro with no oak contact and a wonderful creaminess on the palate.
There we have it! An evening of exploring a range of Galician wines in our cosy tasting room in Barcelona; a perfect way to spend the night, especially now the Autumn rains have started. The tasting is fully booked but as always, there will be more and for anyone who’s interested in exploring the world of wine with us in Barcelona, come join the group to get the first updates on upcoming tastings and events. For those of you who are coming with me tomorrow to taste these wonderful wines; I look forward to seeing you soon! I hope you’re ready for more good wine, good food and fantastic company!