RIAS BAIXAS 10 FACTS TO KNOW

Discover the Galician appellation with the Spanish Wine Academy

From history, geography and climate, to the characteristics of its iconic grape variety, there are many aspects that make Rías Baixas such an exciting appellation. Roman Sosnovskiy, Ramón Bilbao’s brand ambassador in Russia and one of the highest regarded European sommeliers, lists the ten essential facts about Green Spain’s most prominent region.

1. Location

Rías Baixas is a picturesque region located in Galicia, in northwestern Spain.

2. Meaning behind the name

Rías Baixas translates as “lower estuaries”. The landscape is dominated by a dramatic coastline, with rocky fjords, green hills and forests. Its granite soils provide good drainage for vineyards.

3. Maritime climate

Directly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, Rías Baixas is one of the wettest wine-growing regions with an annual rainfall of up to 1,700 mm.

4. One region, thousands of growers

With an area of 4,000 hectares, it is divided into 21,800 plots belonging to 5,500 growers.

5. Sub-regions

Rías Baixas is divided into five official sub-regions, different in size, soil type, distance from the ocean, altitude, and wine style: Ribeira del Ulla, Val do Salnés, Soutomaior, O Rosal and Condado de Tea.

6. Myth and reality

According to the local legend, Middle Age pilgrims brought Riesling vines which adapted to the local climate and mutated to Albariño. The variety’s name indeed means ‘the white from Rhine’. But modern genetic studies confirmed that Albariño is indigenous to the banks of the Umia River and not related to the German variety.

7. Star grape

Before the phylloxera blight, Albariño was an inconspicuous variety. However, by the 1950s it had spread throughout the region and began to prevail. Nowadays, Albariño accounts for 85% of all grapes harvested in Rías Baixas and, due to high demand, is one of the most expensive varieties in Spain.

8. Albariño profile

Albariño is a moderately productive variety with small, thick-skinned berries. It produces wines with medium to rich aromas of citrus, peach, apple, honeysuckle and acacia. Albariño wines are famous for their minerality, subtle salinity and high, zesty acidity.

9. Pergola

A traditional vine training system, also called parral, in which vines are trained overhead in high trellises, providing good ventilation in a humid climate alongside optimal sun exposure.

10. Pioneers

When Rías Baixas obtained its DO status there were only 14 wineries in the region and Bodega Mar de Frades (founded in 1987) was one of them. Today, the winery is managed by the talented oenologist Paula Fandiño. Her latest innovation is Finca Monteveiga — a single vineyard bottling from Ribeira del Ulla.