 In
the northwest corner of Spain lies a green, hilly land with
a moist, mild climate where grapes grow well and even citrus
fruits thrive. This is Galicia, home of the city of Santiago
de Compostela, destination of millions of pilgrims since
the middle ages, who still come today to admire the cathedral
of St. James and to be awed by the history and spirit of
the place.
The land is also blessed with natural wonders. Nearby is
Cape Finisterre, or "lands end", the westernmost
point in Spain, which was once considered the end of the
world. One of the more impressive elements of this lush land
is the rías, which are deep, wide inlets of water
encroaching many miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean along
the coast. The southern group of these rías are known
in Galician as the Rías Biaxas. To the delight of
wine lovers, these rías are surrounded by fine vineyard
land. Since the rías are such an important element
in the wine region, Rías Baixas was also taken as
the name for the region's denomination of origin, which was
awarded in 1988.
Perhaps the major reason Rías Baixas was believed
to merit its own D.O. is the Albariño grape variety,
a native grape which is grown only in this region of the
world. While other white grape varieties are grown here and
are sometimes blended with Albariño grapes, these
wines cannot be labeled Albariño, since the wine must
contain 100% Albariño to be labeled as such. Indeed,
it is the Albariño variety which has truly put Rías
Baixas on the world's wine map. This grape variety, despite
its low yields, difficulty of cultivation, and delicate,
expensive grapes, produces exceptional wines. Albariño
wines are elegant, crisp, dry and aromatic, with a unique
and pleasing flavor.
Until very recently, relatively little Albariño wine
was produced, and it is only within the last decade or so
that this wine has become available to any significant extent
outside Galicia. Since the granting of D.O. status, however,
numerous bodegas have been founded and existing ones have
invested seriously in improving their equipment, vineyard
management, winemaking and marketing. These changes have
resulted not only in more wine, but in better, consistently
superior wines.
 There are five subzones within the D.O.
- On the coast around Cambados is the Val do Salnés.
- In the corner where the Portuguese border meets the sea
is O Rosal.
- Inland, along the course of the river Miño, lies
the Condado do Tea.
- Together the Ría of Vigo is the subzone of Soutomaior.
- And along the river Ulla lies the Ribeira do Ulla.
Albariño wines have been nicknamed the Wines of the
Sea, based on their derivation from coastal vineyards and
on their compatibility with seafood. For the Rías
Baixas are also famous for their wonderful seafood. Fishing
villages line the rías and ocean coasts, and fishing
is a major industry. It is a delightful experience for locals
and visitors alike to spend a sunny afternoon at a charming
little outdoor cafe in a Rías Baixas fishing village,
enjoying a plate of fresh seafood and a bottle of crisp,
dry Albariño wine.
Albariño wines enhance any occasion and any type
of cuisine. Try an Albariño soon, as an aperitif or
with your next seafood dinner. Albariño wines are
now available in many markets in the U.S.
Explore the
wineries and wines of Rías Baixas on Vino!
Article © 2006, VinosAlbarino.com.
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