Spanish Viticultural Polygamy: Pioneering Producers Explore Galicia’s Wealth of Ancestral Varieties, Transcend Boundaries and Make Transformative Wines.

Given a coloring book, Michelangelo would probably have stayed within the heavy black lines and Picasso would have redrawn all the images and colored them with the blunt end of the crayon. The charm in either approach depends on the quality of the end product and the taste of the viewer.

Likewise, the rules of winemaking have imposed restrictions aimed at improving wine in a given region, but the same rules have often put creative re-interpretation in a strait jacket.

This week we will take a glance at Galician winemakers who have played both Renaissance masters and modern iconoclasts, demonstrating that each approach has it merits in an ongoing effort to tame nature’s coloring book in a rugged landscape while simultaneously coaxing her to reveal her true colors.

Galicia: Spain’s Moody Atlantic Landscape

The cliff-battering waves and darkly sensuous landscape of Galicia on Spain’s northwest coast have given rise to a unique language and a distinctive culture. Among wine lovers, the Galician patchwork vineyards have often been viewed as a synonymous with Albariño. But nothing is as simple as it seems, particularly in a region that the wine world has pigeonholed at best, and at worst, overlooked entirely.

Of course, some Galician wine has earned the overlook: The region, inextricably linked to the ocean, is famous for its mariscos—seafood—and much of the vinous output (cultivated on seaside slopes) was simple, slightly fizzy, bone dry, light-bodied white wine similar to the Vinho Verde made over the border in Portugal. These wines are considered the stereotypical match for the renowned Galician shellfish—oysters, goose-neck barnacles, velvet clams, cockles and scallops along with the working-class octopi and lobsters.

But the further inland you go, the greater the wealth of indigenous grapes and styles, from the light, tart, deep-colored reds of Ribeiro to the mineral-driven whites of Valdeorras. These unusually fragrant and elegant wines are finding an expanding market outside the region and underscore the fact that Albariño is merely the tip of the Galician iceberg.

Like most of Europe, Galicia is facing a future in which climate change will affect every aspect of life. Having long embraced its inherent green abundance, which has been likened to that of Ireland, the region is under recent pressures of drought and excessive heat.

María Sagrario Pérez Castellanos, General Director of Environmental Quality in Galicia, has an ambitious plan in the work, aiming for a 2050 climate neutrality target: “If we don’t manage to involve every individual, every citizen, such a goal is impossible,” she says. “This is our issue to tackle, not something that ‘the wise men of the world will solve.’ And it’s clear that this involves you: in every behavior, from when you buy a product, to the waste you generate, when you turn the lights on or off, when you are using renewable energy sources… It involves you.”

In The Galician Middle Belt: Coloring Outside the Lines

If Galicia has ‘belts’, they are more climatic than geological; the region has heterogenous soils throughout— sand, alluvial matter, slate, clay, and granite are all found in various proportions. Different microclimates produce terroirs heavily influenced by the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The further into the interior of the landscape, the more pronounced the transition becomes, with a slow change from a maritime to a continental climate. Stretching from the Atlantic to Castilla y León, much of the Galician countryside is region dominated by small-scale viticulture and family-run domains, and where sea mists (leading to mildew) are an issue, the vines are trained on pergolas, allowing for an easier passage of drying air. This technique has the added benefit of allowing farmers to raise other crops below the grapes.

The predominance of small vine growing operations has opened the door for a new wave of experimental winemakers like Curro Bareño and Jesús Olivares, who currently operate out of Galicia’s ‘middle belt,’ enjoying elevation as well as the positive effects of the ocean.

Bareño says, “Originally, we sourced grapes from Abeleda in the part of Ribeira Sacra that lies in the province of Ourense and in the Bibei valley—the river that borders the D.O. Valdeorras. But in 2016, we left the appellation and started Peixes from vineyards upstream of the Bibei, beyond the borders of any D.O.

Olivares adds, “This move entirely changed our outlook on the area. We realized that the two banks of the Bibei river were not two different regions. Now we source grapes from Valdeorras, Ribeira Sacra and Viana do Bolo, but none of our wines carry the seal of a D.O.”

Fedellos

Fedellos means ‘mischievous’ in Galician, and that pretty much summarizes the philosophy of Madrid-born iconoclasts Curro Bareño and Jesús Olivares. Having settled on the high elevations above the Bibei river, they find that a prolonged growing season makes it easier to produce fresh, elegant wines from vineyards exposed to the morning sun, which are cooler and healthier since the dew evaporates earlier.

Founded in 2011, Bareño and Olivares were the talented team behind Ronsel do Sil, one of the most heralded estates in Ribeira Sacra. But their partnership began earlier in the Sierra de Gredos, where were instrumental in producing the winery’s elegant and nuanced expressions.

Curro Barreño & Jesús Olivares, Fedellos

Curro Bareño maintains that the ‘mischievous’ decision to abandon Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras and head south into the uplands, where scattered vineyards are found amid steep terraced hillsides surrounded by hardwoods and pines, was the right one. These are ancient sites, carved into the remote hillsides centuries ago, had now been nearly abandoned: “Many local winemakers viewed these vineyards as a nightmare, suitable for only making rustic peasant wines. We intended to prove conventional thinking wrong. With proper care, these wines outside the D.O. cannot be understood as anything other than minutely rendered snapshots of ‘terruño’ just as profound as the wines we made within a D.O.”

“Cellar work is vital to achieve this goal,” Olivares adds. “We follow our Gredos style: spontaneous fermentations with indigenous yeasts, long, gentle macerations with very little extraction, lasting 45 to 60 days for reds and about five days for whites, and aging in well-seasoned oak vessels.”

Fedellos ‘Bastarda’, 2021 Galicia Red ($53)
100% Merenzao, labeled under a feminized version of the grape’s Portuguese moniker ‘Bastardo.’ Originating in the Jura, where it is called Trousseau (from its bunched resemblance to a bride’s trousseau), in Spain the varietal produces lush and airy wines, translucent and dense. Fedellos’ example comes from vines between 20 and 70 years old grown on granite, schist and sand. The grapes are hand harvested, whole cluster fermented on natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks followed by 40-60 day maceration. It shows spicy red berries with undertones of anise; the wine is perfumed and fresh with light, integrated tannins.

Fedellos ‘As Xaras’, 2021 Galicia Red ($32)
100% Mencía, a thick-skinned, violet-blue grape indigenous to northwest Spain, where high altitudes have proven amenable to bring out the best qualities in the varietal. This example is a blend of two sites on opposite sides of the River Xaras; hence, the name. Fermented whole cluster on native yeasts, then aged in a combination of concrete tank and neutral French oak. It shows complex yet bright purple fruit; plum and currant with a bracing acidity and chalky tannins.

Fedellos ‘Peixe da Estrada’, 2021 Galicia Red ($29)
Bareño and Olivares’ ‘Peixes’ project is confined to grapes grown in Viana do Bolo, where vineyards planted on terraces between one thousand a 2600 feet sea level, where growing conditions are colder and harsher, with a high risk of frost and a challenging ripening process. Mencía, Gran Negro, Mouratón, Tintorera and Merenzao are the red grapes cultivated. Godello, Doña Blanca, Palomino represent the whites. All are bush vines, all more than 70 years old, planted in small plots on soils that shine with mica. ‘Peixe da Estrada’ is a blend of 90% red and 10% white grapes, displays cassis and berry aromas with floral notes and a hint of balsam on the finish.

Fedellos ‘Peixes da Rocha’, 2020 Galicia Red ($40)
A blend of Mencía, Mouratón, Grao Negro, Garnacha Tintorera, Merenzao, Godello, Doña Blanca and Palomino grown on sand, granite, mica and quartzite, a blend similar to Estrada but from terraced sites at a higher elevation. The grapes are hand harvested and the whole clusters undergo natural yeast fermentation in vat with a gentle maceration lasting two months, followed by a full year in neutral 500-liter French oak demi-muids. The wine is bright with high-altitude vivacity, elegant with black fruit and floral notes.

Fedellos ‘Conasbrancas’, 2022 Galicia White ($36)
A field blend of 85% Godello, 10% Doña Blanca and 5% Treixadura suffused with minerality and invigorating acidity. The nose shows the saline influence of the sea with pie spice and hints of beeswax. Like the reds, there is no D.O. on the label since the gang at Fedellos prefer to march to the beat of their own vinous drummer.
 

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In Ribeira Sacra: Coloring Within the Lines

Vertigo is not a condition that thrives in Ribeira-Sacra. Suffice to say that the steeply sloped vineyard terraces that tower over silvery, slow-moving rivers are a challenge even to the most mountain-goatish among wine growers. But is precisely the physicality of the landscape that allows Ribeira-Sacra such a wide diversity of grapes, expositions, altitudes, slope angles, bedrock types and topsoil compositions.

As in most wine regions, climate dictates success. The west and north end of Ribeira Sacra is more impacted by Atlantic winds and precipitation tends to be heavy due to the absence of any significant mountain range. Between the Atlantic and the Ribeiro and Ribeira Sacra regions, some small mountains curb the influence of oceanic winds. Toward the south and east the mountains rise to higher altitudes and maintain a much stronger continental influence.

Rivers remain a dominant feature of the microclimates; inside river gorges there is an abundant supply of exposures and slope angles—a saving grace for the vineyards because as the climate changes, growers can shift from the hottest exposures to cooler ones while maintaining the same superb bedrock, topsoil and all other characteristics imparted by the local terroir. This practice has already taken hold in the area, with many growers exploring potential vineyard sites that in the past would not have been advantageous.

Here we feature dynamic winemakers who adhere to the rules of their Denominación de Origen to unleash the full potential of their plots of the planet.

Fento

Hard-working vigneron Eulogio Pomares is a rising star in the far northwest corner of Spain where he receives accolades from critics and consumers alike. Although perhaps best known for his work with the region’s Albariño variety as the seventh generation winemaker at Zárate, his family’s estate, Eulogio can’t be contained and is branching out into some of “Green Spain’s” other subregions.

Eulogio Pomares, Fento

Fento is a partnership of Eulogio with his wife Rebeca that works with both rare and common indigenous grapes found within Galicia. Organic viticulture is difficult in the region due to humidity and mildew pressure, but Eulogio is applying the methods to bring the Fento vineyards into full organic cultivation, relying on native cover crops and natural products to do most of the work.

Fento ‘Xabre’, 2022 Ribeira-Sacra ‘Val do Bibei’ Red ($32)
Mencía 95%, 3% Mouratón and 2% Grao Negro. Named for the slate and granite sands of the region, the grapes come from terraced vineyards in Quiroga-Bibei subzone where vines are planted at between a thousand and 2200 feet. The oldest of these vines are over eighty years. Fermentation is done in 500-liter barrels, followed by 10 months in French oak and six more months in foudres. The wine shows elegant floral and balsamic nuances offset the rich forest fruit. 158 cases produced.

Sílice Viticultores

Founded in 2013 by brothers Carlos and Juan Rodríguez and Galician-Swiss DJ-turned-winemaker Fredi Torres, Sílice Viticultores is a project of family and friends. The project’s lifeblood is the intense manual work on the precipitous slopes above the Sil River Canyon. Their 20 acres—planted primarily on granite with some schist and gneiss parcels, in the zones of Amandi, Doade, and Rosende—are farmed organically, with copper and sulfur treatments applied as needed. Like many top producers in the region, Sílice Viticultores chooses to work outside of the D.O. Ribeira Sacra.

Fredi Torres, Carlos and Juan Rodríguez, Sílice Viticultores

Production is necessarily small, and the wines are racy, focused and fun, but with the structure to age. Both farming and winemaking prioritizes bright Atlantic fruitiness and the expression of their individual parcels and zones without sacrificing the fierce natural energy of the region or its great red grape, Mencía. Choosing the perfect moment of harvest, fermenting multiple red and white varieties together with the strategic use of stems, cold maceration and gentle extraction is Sílice Viticultores guarantee of expression of both location and vintage.

Sílice Viticultores ‘Sílice’, 2021 Galicia ‘natural’ Red ($31)
80% Mencía, 10% Garnacha Tintorera, 5% Merenzao and 5% Palomino—only 625 cases made. The grapes are hand-harvested, of course (there is no alternative in the vertical vineyards of the Sil River Canyon) and vinified using indigenous yeasts. 80% of the grapes are destemmed, and 20% are whole-cluster. The wine ages for nine months on its lees in a combination of neutral oak foudre, stainless steel tanks and concrete vats.

Notebook …

A Study in Contrast: 2020 & 2021 Show Climate Change’s New Reality

Getting complacent with climate change is a prescription for disaster, but learning to live with our new reality is the only way that agriculture will survive as an industry. As we have seen in countless examples, winemakers are abandoning areas which have grown too wet, too dry, too warm or too cold to produce products that live up to former standards, while at the same time finding that these same changes open up new areas for exploration, many abandoned for decades.

The speed at which these changes are happening is astonishing. In 2020, Spain saw an ‘early’ year with high temperatures bringing in early spring seeing plant growth begin around 2-3 weeks ahead of the average schedule, which together with heavy spring rain saw almost tropical conditions in many regions such as Rioja, Catalunya and Galicia. The only region that fully escaped damage was Ribera del Duero, where the altitude and extreme cold of the winter months means that bud-break occurs later, avoiding mildew damage in the wet spring weather. Galicia saw a much earlier harvest than usual, with picking starting at the end of August. Spring also saw outbreaks of mildew and botrytis, which affected production, although in general the harvest was of good quality. The size varied a lot according to the area: D.O. Monterrai saw a record harvest and the harvest is predicted to be around 15% larger than that of 2019 whereas in Ribeira Sacra the harvest was around 15% smaller than an average year.

The following year, the opposite condition prevailed in Galicia, with a long wait for veraison due to a cool summer. Still, the harvest was so abundant that Regulatory Board increased yields from 12,000 kilogram/hectare to 13,500 kilogram/hectare. The ability to overcome cooler weather was largely a grape-to-grape proposal with thicker-skinned varieties faring best. As for the quality of the wines, the general impression among Galician producers is that it was very good. Xurxo Alba of Bodegas Albamar says, “Although we have had a bumper crop, the wines have structure, volume, lower alcohol than in recent years and good acidity.”

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Posted on 2024.11.14 in Misc Spanish, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Ribeira Sacra