Write: Álvaro Hernando
In this article we will detail the panorama of Galician wines with their Denominations of Origin. A land where its wines marry perfectly with its delicious gastronomy. Without getting into a fight of which dish goes better with a wine or another. Being open-minded, let's think that any quality product can be paired with a quality wine.
For the freshest meals they can be paired with young whites eg Albariño y young reds estilor Merenzao. With heavier meals it can be paired with barrel-fermented whites. These, which are aged on lees (style for example Godello) and aged reds Mencia, for example.
In this autonomous community there are 5 appellations of origin, which in this article we are going to detail among the Galician wines. They are as follows: Rías Baixas, Ribeiro, Valdeorras, Monterrei and Ribera Sacra.
The wines of Galicia
D.O. Rias Baixas
We start with the first and most prestigious of the Galician wines. The DO Rias Baixas is located in the Atlantic Coast with about 4 thousand hectares. It was founded in 1988 and has grown in importance over the years. Their white wines they have national and international recognition. It is spread in 6 municipalities of the province of A Coruña and 29 of Pontevedra. There are 5 subzones: Val de Sales, O Rosal, Condado de Tea, Soutomaior, and Ribeira do Ulloa.
The base of its soils is granite and its climate is marine due to the proximity of the Atlantic. With cold winters and abundant rains, the main variety is el Albariño with 96% of the total. In addition, the following varieties are allowed and grown. In white grapes: Loureira blanca, treixadura, Caiño blanco. Then in varieties inks: Caiño red, Espadeiro Loreira ink and Sousón.
Albariño-type monovarietal wines present straw-yellow color bright, with golden and green iridescence. On the nose they have fine and distinguished floral and fruity aromas, which are pleasantly impressive. They are of medium intensity and powerful medium-long duration. On the palate they are fresh and smooth. With sufficient body and alcohol content, balanced acidity, harmonious and broad nuances. Pleasant, elegant and complete aftertaste.
DO Ribeiro
La DO Ribeiro is located in the Southern Galicia, on the northwestern edge of the province of Ourense. It occupies three river valleys and has an area of approximately 2800 hectares. It's weather Atlantic and Mediterranean. Its annual rainfall is 950 mm, the soils are of granite origin with an important presence of stones and gravel. This improves the structure of the soil.
The wines here are mostly from young cut. They make a wine called poisoned, made with grapes harvested before industrial maturity. They give fresh wines with high acidity and alcohol of 8-9% volume.
The authorized varieties are garnacha and tempranillo Sousón, Brancellao, Caiño, Ferrón and Mencia are preferred. In White grape the authorized varieties are Palomino, Albilla, Macabeo. The preferred they are Treixadura, Torrontes, Loureira, Godello and Albariño.
DO Valdeorras
Another DO of Galician wines es Valdeorras. Bordering with DO Bierzo en Castilla y León, it is the easternmost of the Galician community. Created in 1977, it has 2700 hectares, its production areas occupy a large part of the basins of the Sil, Xares and Bibei rivers. It has a drier climate than the rest of Galicia, mixing its Atlantic influence with continental features.
Its average temperature is 11 º C, while the rainfall ranges between 850 and 1000 mm. Its soils are varied, from slate or shallow to granite, richer in sand. There are also those that settle on sediments and terraces where boulders abound.
The most emblematic wines of the area are Godello in whites. They have a fine, fruity aroma, yellow, golden or straw color and good structure in the mouth. Its alcoholic graduation is 12,5%. The other preferred varieties are Treixadura, Dona Branca, Loureira, Albariño, Torrontes and the authorized varieties Fine palomino.
El Mencía in reds it has an intense purple color and an elegant fruity aroma, it is light and tasty. It has a good alcohol-acidity balance, appetizing and with an intense and prolonged aftertaste. Other varieties of preferred inks are Tempranillo, Brancellao, Merenzao, Sousón, Caiño tinto, Espadeiro and Ferrón. The authorized varieties Grao Negro, Garnacha Tintorera, Negrada (Moratón or Juan García).
DO Monterrei
Located in the province of Ourense this DO with Galician wines It was founded in 1994. Its climate is temperate with a continental tendency, between hot and dry summers and cold winters. It is an area with considerable thermal fluctuations, up to 30ºC during the ripening season. Its soils are of three types. Slate and schist, ideal during times of drought, providing aromas in red wines.
Also granitic and sandy from the degradation of granitic rocks. They contain a low Ph suitable for complex white and sedimentary wines due to the mixture of materials. Its varieties in red wines consist of Mencía and Merenzao being authorized those of Tempranillo, red Caiño and Sousón. In White grape the preferred ones are Doña Branca, Godello and Treixadura. The authorized ones Albariño, Branca de Monterrei, Caiño branco and Loureira.
DO Ribera Sacra
Born in 1996, located between Lugo and Ourense, its vineyards are on terraces, between the slopes of the rivers Sil and Miño. It has approximately 1300 hectares of vineyards. It is divided into 5 subzones: Armandi, Chantada, Quiroga Bibei, Ribera de Miño and Ribera del Sil.
Most of the vineyards are grown in steep slopes and on steep slopes. For this reason, the working conditions during harvest are extreme. They call them mountaineering winegrowers. The soils have high acidity and their composition varies from one area to another.
It has a micro-climate that contributes its special orography, being protected from climatic phenomena. This achieves that its valleys reach a temperature, humidity and hours of insolation different from any other region.
Fresh fruity, unique and high-quality wines of the variety Mencia, in reds there are also varieties Tempranillo, Brancellao, Merenzao, Sousón, Caiño red, Espadeiro and Ferrón. Varieties are preferred and authorized Grao Negro, Garnacha Tintorera and Negreda. In White grape the preferred varieties in the DO Ribera Sacra They are: Godello, Doña Branca, Loureira, Treixadura, Albariño and Torrontes. As authorized Palomino Fino.
In short, these are the Galician wines in its different Denominations of Origin.
