Average temp.: Miño Valley 14ºC; Sil Valley 13ºC
Average rainfall: Miño Valley 900 mm/year; Sil Valley 700mm/year
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Monforte de Lemos (Galicia)
Ribeira Sacra DO
The Ribeira Sacra is one of Spain's most spectacularly beautiful vineyard areas. Its vines are planted in the steep valleys and precipitous gorges of the Rivers Miño and Sil as they wind through Galicia's lush green countryside.
Spiced wines from Amandi, one of the DO's subzones, are legendarily said to have been shipped to classical Rome along with the lamprey from the River Miño to be served at emperors' tables.
Today a new wave of investment in stainless-steel equipment and of controlled experiments in the bodega is producing excellent varietal whites as well as the big, aromatic reds for which the area was originally famed. However, even after consolidation, winemaking here remains extraordinarily artesanal, a reflection of the tiny landholding scale and farmhouse bodegas as well as traditional, virtually organic growing methods.
Since yields are low, these wines are searched-after and not easy to find on the export market.
Regulatory Council
Consejo Regulador DO Ribeira Sacra
Rúa Comercio 6 - 8
27400 Monforte de Lemos
Lugo
Tel.: +34 982 410 968
info@ribeirasacra.org
www.ribeirasacra.org
Sources:
- Spanish Ministry of Agriculture
It is producing excellent varietal whites as well as the big, aromatic reds for which the area was originally famed.
- DO Ribeira Sacra
- DO Ribeira Sacra Log
Vineyards
Area under vine
1,258 ha.
Altitude of vineyards
400-500 m.
Soil types
Granite, slate, limestone.
Principal grapes (w)
Albariño, Doña Blanca, Godello, Loureira, Torrontés and Treixadura.
Principal grapes (r)
Mencía, Brancellao, Merenzao, Caiño, Sousón and Tempranillo.
Production:
Maximum crop
White: 12,000 kg/ha; Red: 9,500 kg/ha
Yield
67 %
Production 2013
31,212 hl
Production 2014
32,542 hl
Production 2015
35,726 hl