Most
wine spectators can say that Rias Baixas is the most important Denomination of
Origin in northwestern Spain’s Galicia. The establishment of Rias Baixas as a
Denomination of Origin was in 1988. When Spain joined the United Nation, the
denomination was changed to Rias Baixas because EU wine laws know any DOs named
for just a single grape varietal. An official denomination was made
specifically for the Albariño grape variety, which is the grape that Rias
Baixas grows most successfully.
Because
this region shares its border with the Atlantic Ocean, its climate is greatly
affected by the ocean. Most of the region has cool, damp climate, but it can
vary between the sub regions. Annually, Rias Baixas may get only 2,200 hours of
direct sunlight. The average rainfall is very high, at times surpassing 71
inches a year! This great rainfall amount makes Rias Baixas one of the greenest
parts of Spain. The rich land is illustrated by rias, deep, wide bay of water
from the Atlantic Ocean. The soil, because of the rain, is granitic and rocky
with alluvial top-soil. In some area, the vines may be located near mountains
and valleys. In this region with its green rolling hills and high rainfall, and
high humidity, white and light red wines are the most successful. The Albariño
grapes, which are the most successful in this region, have distinct taste
characterized by intense flavor from its mouth- watering acidity. It has a
pleasant floral finish, many times with small fizz.
There
are around 24 wineries in Rias Baixas. Within the region, there are 8,650 acres
of grapes with almost 20,000 individual vineyard plots. Nearly 100% of the wine produced here show the DO
designation.
Within
this wine region lie five sub regions of Rias Baixas: the Val do Salnes,
Condado de Tea, Rosal, Soutomaior, and Ribera do Ulla. Val do Salnes is the
western most sub-region of Rias Baixas and the most coolest and wettest. It is
the original and oldest sub region in Rias Baixas. Ultimately, this is where
the Albariño grape was born. Its closeness to the coastline helps Val do Salnes
creates the best Albariño grapes for Rias Baixas. They grow on gently sloped
hills and flat valley on the Umia River. Condado de Tea vines lie near the Miño River and borders Portugal. ‘Tea
County’ is named after a tributary of the Miño River, Tea River. This sub region is the farthest
away from the Atlantic Ocean so it is the warmest part of Rias Baixas. Because
of the warmer weather, the grapes are less acidic but still powerful ones. The
Rosal region also grow near the Mino River but also borders the Vinho Verde
region in Portugal. The smallest sub region in Rias Baixas, Soutomaior, is located
south of the town of Pontevedra. The last sub region is Ribera do Ulla. This
region is fairly new, it became recognized as a sub region in 2000.
The
Rias Baixas region is regulated by the Consejo Regulador which is a local
governing body. Aside from the Albariño grape, other varietal grapes include Loureira, Treixadura, Caiño, Torrontés and
Godello. These traditional white grape varietals are the only ones allowed when
producing DO wines. They regulate grape varieties, viticulture practices,
winemaking and aging procedures. Though they are not a big region in production
of red wines, there are specific grape varietals allowed in them. The only ones
allowed are Mencía and Brancellao. For a wine to be labeled as ‘Rias Baixas’,
it must contain at least 70% Albariño grapes. In certain sub regions, Caiño Blanco and Loureira can also be used in
the wines as a blend. An interesting fact about wine labeling in Rias Baixas is
the language. Because Rias Baixas is part of the independent region of Galicia
with a distinct dialect of Spanish called Gallego, most of the wines labels are
in Gallego.
Sources
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