Ribeira Sacra

Ribeira Sacra (modernly translated as sacred or holy riverbanks) is one of five vital regions for viticulture in Galicia, known as Green Spain.  With winemaking and trade dating back to the Carthaginians and Phoenicians, the height of activity can be traced back to the Romans, who searching for gold, also needed wine to drink.  Benedictine and Cistercian monks built churches and monasteries, and travelers walking the pilgrimage towards the last resting place of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela also consumed lots of wine. 

The landscape is extreme, mainly due to the steep slopes where the vines grow.  Vineyards are planted on constructed terraces (socalcos) dotted through the valleys and canyons of the Sil and Miño rivers and tributaries.  Tending to the vines can only be done by hand, and the work is considered heroic due to its difficulty.

The main grape for red is Mencía, followed by Merenzao, Brancellao, Sousón, Caíño Longo, Garnacha Tintorera, and Mouratón.  The main grape for white wines is Godello, followed by Albariño, Torrontés, Loureira, Treixadura, Doña Branca, Palomino, and Caíño Branco.

There are five sub-regions of Ribeira Sacra, Amandi, Ribeiras do Miño, Quiroga-Bibei, Chantada, and Riberas do Sil.  Ribeira Sacra officially received D.O. status in 1996.  Since the early 2000s, a few brave viticultors have been recuperating lost varieties and recuperating abandoned vineyards. This resurgence of eco-responsible farming with minimal interventionist methods has raised the quality of the wines, making for age-worthy wines full of personality, structure, and freshness.