D.O. Ribeiro

DO area for red and white wines in the northwest of the Spanish province of Ourense in (Galicia) near the Portuguese border. The name means "shore country". To the north is Santiago de Compostela, one of the most famous Christian pilgrimage sites, where the tomb of the Apostle James is said to be located. From several starting points in Europe, it is the final destination of several pilgrimage routes; at its peak in the Middle Ages, there were up to two million pilgrims a year. As early as the 16th century, wines were exported from here to Italy and England under the name Ribadavia (the main town). These were mainly tostadillos (sweet wines). Even then, the technique of sulphurisation was used.

The area, which extends over 13 municipalities, is divided into the subzones of Ribeiro de Avia, Ribeiro del Miño and Ribeiro de Arnoia. The Atlantic-influenced climate results in warm summers and cold winters. There is sufficient rainfall with an average of 950 mm annually. The vineyards cover 3,000 hectares of vines on brown earth soil on slopes between 75 and 400 metres above sea level. These are located in the river valley of the Miño and on the banks of the tributaries Arnia and Arnoia. 90% of the white wines are produced from the main varieties Treixadura (Trajadura) and Torrontés (Alarije), as well as Albariño (Alvarinho), Albilla (Albillo de Albacete), Godello, Loureira (Loureiro), Macabeo and Palomino. The most important red wine varieties are Sousón (Vinhão), Brancellao (Alvarelhão), Caiño Tinto (Borraçal), Ferrón (Manseng Noir), Mencía, Garnacha Tinta and Tempranillo.

Image: By Lmbuga (Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link