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| Galacia Vines |
The following are my notes
for the Advanced Study of
the Wines of Spain covering Green Spain: Galicia and the Basque Country. The notes include information about the
history, topography, climate, soils, important red and white grapes, the various
Denominación de Origen
(DO) of the region and the wines I
tasted during this study.
Geography
Green Spain (España Verde) is located just north of the Portugal border along the northwest Atlantic coast in
Galicia, north of the Cantabrian and Basque mountains, along the Bay of Biscay.
The capital of Galicia is Santiago de Compostela. This region includes
Asturias, Cantabria, and the northern half of the Basque Country and Navarre
all the way from Galicia through the French border. The topography is known for
its heavily forested mountain valleys, rias
(estuaries) from the west coast and slow-moving rivers with terraced vineyards,
winding mountain roads, and remote villages.
Climate
While much of the
rest of Spain is dry, hot and arid this region is called “green” because of its wet and
temperate Maritime climate caused by the Atlantic influences that create a
landscape similar to that of Ireland, Great Britain, and the west coast of
France. The region receives more rain than the rest of Spain and the inland
regions of central Europe with an average precipitation of about 1,200 mm. The
main exception to this northerly rainfall trend is the Sierra de Grazalema, in
the southern province of Cadiz, which experiences a rain shadow affect as the
mountains block the Atlantic moisture-carrying winds.
The sheltering fortification of the Cantabrian
Mountains or Cantabrian Range (Spanish: Cordillera Cantábrica) stretch
east-west, nearly parallel to the sea, as far as the pass of Leitariegos,
extending south between León and Galicia to the Pyrenees. The regions of
Ribeiro, Ribera Sacra, Valdeorras, and Bierzo experience pockets of protection
from the cold and often wet coastal influences. Rías Baixas on the other hand experiences
the full force of Atlantic weather. The result is Western Green Spain regions tend
to produce high–acid white wines from relatively under ripe grapes, while sites
in the Pyrenees generate shockingly bracing white wines under the rubric of
Txakoli.
History
The name Galicia
is a cognate of Gaul (France) and its earliest settlers were the same Celtic
peoples who colonized most of the prehistoric European west coast well
before the birth of Christ.[1]
The result is Green Spain is one of the least “Spanish” parts
of the country as the Galicians and Basques left behind a non-Castilian culture.[2] But,
the Celts had no written language so modern Galicians speak Gallego, a dialect
related to Portuguese.
The region was then occupied by the Romans, Swabians (a
Germanic people), Visigoths and the non-wine drinking Islamic Moors. Then in
the 9th century the region was assimilated into the Kingdom of
Asturias and the remains of St. James were discovered in Santiago de Compostela
(Pilgrim’s Road). Subsequently through the 10th and 11th
centuries it became a tourist destination for Christian pilgrims.
In 1492 Galicia became part of Greater Spain and the Moors
were expelled. In the 18th century the port city of La Coruna was
licensed to trade with the American colonies, which brought prosperity to the
region.
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Autonomias of Green Spain
Within Green
Spain there are four autonomías:
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Galicia
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Portugal in the
northwestern corner of the country. It is a verdant region of lush vegetation
and dense forests, riddled with rías (estuaries) and small rivers
cutting through low mountain ranges. The cooler maritime climate of the
region is ideal for the production of crisp, refreshing white wines. As the
nickname “Green Spain” implies, Galicia is a world removed from the popular
conception of an arid Spanish landscape.
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Asturias
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This autonomía produces wine but there are no DO,
VdiT or VC classified wines.
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Cantabria
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This autonomía produces wine but there are no
DO, VdiT or VC classified wines.
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Denominación de Origen
(DO) of Galicia
Within Galicia
there are five DOs:[3]
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Rías Baixas DO
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Established as
a DO in 1988. Rías Baixas, pronounced (ree-ahs
buy-shuss), is Galician for “
“lower estuaries” and it borders Portugal along the coast. The dominate white
grape is Albariño which makes up 90% of the vineyard acreage. A wine labeled “Rías
Baixas Albariño” will be 100% Albariño. There are 5 subzones: Val do Salnés,
Ribeira do Ulla, Soutomaior, O Rosal, and Condado do Tea. If the wine is
labeled with one of the northern subzones (Val do Salnés or Ribeira do Ulla)
it must contain a minimum 70% Albariño and if it is from the southern
subzones of O Rosal and Condado do Tea the remaining 30% may be either
Loureira or Treixadura (also used in Portugal’s Vinho Verde). Some producers subject
Albariño to malolactic fermentation and barrica aging which is
indicated on the bottle. The remaining 10% of production is dedicated to red
wines made from grapes such as Caiño, Espadeiro and Mencía.
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Ribeiro DO
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Established as
a DO in 1957. It is located along the
Miño River to the east of Rías Baixas. It has a transitional climate zone
between Maritime and Mediterranean. About
80% of wine production is devoted to white wines, the dominant varietal is Treixadura.
Ohers include Albariño, Godello, Torrontés, Loureira, Macabeo and
Albillo. Authorized red varietals include Caiño, Ferrón, Sousón, Brancellao,
Mencía, Garnacha and Tempranillo. From the Middle Ages up to the 18th
century the region was renowned for its sweet wines, known as Viño
Tostado, which were produced from sun-dried grapes known as Ribadavia.
These wines were consumed by the pilgrims passing through the area on their
way to Santiago and were exported to England as far back as the 17th
century making it one of the oldest wine producing regions in Spain.
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Ribeira Sacra DO
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Established as
a DO in 1997. The name Ribeira Sacra means “sacred bank” or “sacred shore” and
is named for the 18 monasteries and hermitages that
were founded in the early Middle Ages between the 8th and 12th
centuries located further
inland and upriver. Ribeira Sacra has 5 sub-regions: Amandi, Chantada,
Quiroga-Bibei, Riberas do Sil and Riberas do Miño. The
vineyards are planted on terraces (known as bancadas) on the steep
slopes of the valleys and canyons of the rivers Miño and Sil. The Romans built the original terraces
around 2000 years ago. The 3 dominant white varietals include Albariño,
Treixadura and Godello.
Other authorized white varieties include Loureira,
Torrontés and Dona Branca. The
dominant red varietal is Mencía followed by Grand Boir, Brancellao
and Merenzao.
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Monterrei DO
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Established as
a DO in 1996. The name Monterrei means “King of the Mountain”. It is
located in the province of Orense just across the Portuguese border and is the southernmost DO in Galicia.
The Atlantic influence is not as strong here and summer temperatures are the
highest of the region, which enables the production of both white and red
wines. Most of the vineyards are located on the slopes lining the River Támega.
The dominant white grape has been Doña Blanca, but more impressive
white wines are made from Godello or Treixadura grapes. The dominant red varietals
are Mencía and Bastardo (also known as Trousseau or Trousseau
Noir and it originates from eastern France and it mostly found today in
Portugal) but there has been an increase planting of Tempranillo.
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Valdeorras DO
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Established as
a DO in 1957. It is the easternmost DO in Galicia located
around 150 km (31 miles) from the coast, consequently it has the most continental
climate of all the DOs of Galicia. It is made up of three towns: A
Rúa, Villamartín and O Barco. The River Sil, which flows from east to west
through the DO, is the dominant feature on the landscape. The principal white
grape is Godello
and red and rosé wines are made from Mencía.
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Country Wines of Galicia
(Provinces are in
brackets)
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Betanzos VC (La Coruña)
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Approximately
114 ha (281 acres) are planted on alluvial
clay around the
town of Betanzos, mostly on the slopes of the Mandeo River Valley about 30 km
(19 miles) southeast of the city of Coruña.
There are around 40 bodegas and one co-op that produce around 2,000 hectoliters
(52,834 gallons) of wine per year. Traditionally the focus has been on light
red wines made from Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante), but recent trends have
been towards white wines made from Palomino and Albariño.[4]
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Ribeiro do Ulla VC (La Coruña)
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Approximately
600 ha (1482 acres) in the Ulla River Valley located about 15 km (9 miles)
southeast of Santiago de Compostela. The center of production is Boqueixón and most of the vineyards are planted
to hybrid vines. However, Palomino and Albariño is also used for making white wines
and Albarello and Caiño Tinto
are used for making red wines.[5]
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Val do Minho VdiT (Ourense)
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Now part of
Ribeira Sacra DO.
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O Bolo VC (Ourense)
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Now part of
Valdeorras DO.
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The Basque Country
The Basque Country (Pais Vasco in Spanish) is an
Autonomous Community in northern Spain located on the Spain’s border with France
along the Pyrenees Mountains with hundreds of miles of coastline on the Bay of
Biscay. It is divided into three provinces - Álava, Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya. The
Basque people have a unique sub-culture and unique language. The region has a
long history of winemaking as vineyards have been there since the Iberian
Peninsula was part of the Roman Empire. Most of the wines produced in the
region are light, fresh, white wines, that pair well with the traditional fish
and seafood dishes in the Basque cuisine.
Denominación de Origen
(DO) of Basque Country (País
Vasco)
Approximately
80%-95% of plantings in the Basque Country is Hondarribi Zuri which produces
pale crisp, light wine (9.5-11.5˚) with subtle notes green apple, herbs and
sometimes a little spritz. Others white grapes include Gros
Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Corbu. The principal red grape is Hondarribi
Beltza. The rare rosado
wines, traditionally known as Ojo de Gallo (eye of the rooster), are often blends of the two grapes. Within
the Basque Country
there are three DOs which are: [6]
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Chacolí
de Álava DO
(Spanish)
Arabako
Txakolina DO (Basque)
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Established as a DO in 2002. It is located
around the towns of Amurrio, Llodio, Artziniega, Okondo and Aiara in the
province of Alava, Basque Country. It
has about 70 hectares under vine.
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Chacolí
de Getaria DO (Spanish)
Getariako
Txakolina DO (Basque)
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Established as
a DO in 1990. It is located around the towns of Getaria
and Zarautz, small fishing towns on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, in the
province of Guipuzcoa, Basque Country. A small amount of grapes are also
grown around the town of Aia.
It has about 400 hectares under vine which are planted on planted on
native Vitis Vinifera American rootstock because the phylloxera virus
has never affected this region.[7]
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Chacolí
de Vizcaya DO (Spanish)
Bizaiko
Txakolina DO (Basque)
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Established as
a DO in 1994. It is located in the province of Bizkaia, Basque Country. It has about 276
hectares under vine, which were replanted on American rootstock in the 19th
Century when they were devastated by the phylloxera virus. Today there are 69
wineries (bodegas) registered with the DO.[8]
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The Wines
While studying
Green Spain I tasted the following wines:
2013 Condes De Albarei, Albariño
The
wine is made from 100% Albariño.
It is a clear pale straw-yellow wine with a slight tint of green around the rim
and moderate viscosity. On the nose it is clean with moderate intense aromas of
lemon pith, peach skin, chive, and crushed clamshells. On the palate the nose
is confirmed, it has high acidity, medium- body and a medium+ length finish. It
is well balanced and refreshing, for only $17.99 at BevMo it makes a nice
summer wine.
2013 Bodegas Aizpurua “Aizpurua B”
Getariako Txakolina
The wine is made
from 100% Hondarrabi zuri.
It is a clear very pale straw colored wine with a slight tint of green around
the rim and low viscosity. On the nose it is clean with subtle aromas of lime,
melon rind, and a hint of salty sea breeze. On the palate it has flavors of
tart under ripe lemons, lime, asparagus water with a slight salty minerality.
The wine is dry with high acidity, light body and a medium length finish. It is
a fairly neutral wine yet refreshing, it needs to be paired with light dishes
in which the food and not the wine is the star of the show. The wine sells for
only $17.99 at K&L in Redwood City, CA
2011 Valdesil “Pezas de Portela” Godello,
Valdeorras DO
It is a clear white wine,
golden-yellow, youthful, day bright with moderate viscosity. On the nose it has
medium intense aromas of dried apples, peaches, honeycomb, wet autumn leaves
with a hint of nuttiness and baking spices. On the palate the wine is dry, rich
and bold with medium+ acidity, medium weight and a long finish with lingering
spicy notes. This wine sells for $34.99 at K&L in Redwood City, CA and is a superb alternative summer wine to the
ocean of California Chardonnay on the market.
2014 Vina Godeval Cepas Vellas Godello – Valdeorras,
Spain
The wine is made from 100% Godello. It is a clear white wine, pale straw in color
with moderate viscosity. On the nose it is clean with medium+ intense aromas of
peach skin, lemon zest, melon and salty sea breeze. On the palate it dry,
somewhat tart and very crisp with high acidity, medium- body and a long finish.
This wine sells for $19.99 at the Spanish Table in Berkeley, CA.
2013 Algueira Mencia Joven, Ribera Sacra
DO
This wine is made
from 100% Mencia. It is an opaque red wine, dark purple at the core violet at
the rim with slight rim variation and medium viscosity. On the nose it is clean
with medium+ intense aromas of black plums, black cherry, freshly cracked black
pepper, lavender, with a touch of anise. One the palate it is dry with soft
refined moderate tannins, medium+
acidity, medium bodied and a long finish. The wine is very “old world”
and seems like a softer, lower alcohol (12.5%) Rhone blend. This wine sells for
$16.99 at K&L in Redwood City, CA
2012 Valdesil “Valdeorras” Mencia,
Valdeorras DO
This wine is made
from 100% Mencia. It is an opaque red wine, dark purple at the core violet at
the rim with slight rim variation and medium viscosity. On the nose it is clean
with moderate intense aromas of black cherries, blackberries, violets with
minor notes of black licorice, a hint of black pepper and a touch of smoke. On
the palate it is dry yet fruit forward with moderate tannins, medium+ acidity, it
is medium bodied and medium length finish. This wine is similar to the previous
wine but with far less peppery notes. This wine sells for $14.99 at K&L in Redwood City, CA
[1] John
Radford, The New Spain: A Complete Guide to Spanish Wine (Mitchell
Beazley; 2nd edition, 2006), 26.
[2] John
Radford, The New Spain: A Complete Guide to Spanish Wine (Mitchell
Beazley; 2nd edition, 2006), 24.
[3] Much of the following information was
taken from
[4] John
Radford, The New Spain: A Complete Guide to Spanish Wine (Mitchell
Beazley; 2nd edition, 2006), 45.
[5] John
Radford, The New Spain: A Complete Guide to Spanish Wine (Mitchell
Beazley; 2nd edition, 2006), 45.
[6] Much of the following information was
taken from
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