Guímaro

“We practice farming like they did in the past.”

Some of the most difficult wine terrains on earth share a common coming of age story. At some point, even in the most storied wine regions, winegrowing fell out of fashion and became more trouble than its worth. Young people left the small villages for urban studies and careers.  Few families held onto to small plots of vineyards.  When the allure of city life wore off, the adventurous sons and daughters returned to recuperate the old vines and revitalize the family business and tradition. 

Such is the story for Pedro Rodríguez of Guímaro, a colleteiro (harvester) in Ribeira Sacra whose family produced small quantities of wine for themselves and sold the bulk to local bars.  Named after the spirit of Pedro’s grandfather, the rebel family started estate bottling in 1991.

While farming high quality mencía organically is the primary focus, Pedro has also been replanting some native varietals such as caiño, merenzao, souson, albariño and treixadura, ideal for the high altitude, south facing exposure and location.

With the future so bright, gotta wear shades.