Rias Baixas is a small wine region in Galicia, on the Atlantic Coast in the north-western corner of Spain. The hilly coast is sliced by four large estuaries ("Rias") looking like fjords, with many fisherman villages, taverns, music, restaurants, bars, and exceptional seafood. The local white wine, Albariño, is the best white wine in Spain and the perfect companion for seafood. One can wonder what came first, the seafood or Albariño, but after another delicious dish of fresh scallops and another glass of cold Albariño, you are deeply grateful for both. Welcome to Rias Baixas!

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"Green Spain"

The landscape of Rias Baixas is breathtaking, strikingly green with so many roses blooming all over, that it is easy to think you are in Ireland. Indeed, Galicia is sometimes referred to as the “green Spain”. The connection to Ireland runs deeper, as many Galegos (the local name for the residents) have Celtic origins and the local dialect is a combination of Celtic, Spanish and Portuguese.

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Home to Finest White Wines

While one would certainly expect fisherman villages on the Atlantic coast, one would less expect a thriving wine region, one of the best white wine regions today. Viniculture was brought to the area by the Roman Empire, who planted vineyards all over its occupied territories, to keep the wine flowing through the veins of the soldiers, the government and the Empire. Later, viniculture continued by the French monks who came to live in the area and ultimately passed on to the locals. Whether the monks brought Albariño or it is native to the area, this variety is so well suited to the specific conditions prevailing, that it became associated with Rias Baixas.  

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Climate & Wine Growing Conditions

Interestingly, the vines thrive in this unlikely wine region because of a number of reasons, unique to it. Although the climate is Atlantic, wet, foggy (more romantically called “misty”) and harsh at times, and the winters are heavy with rains, yet the summers and autumns (harvest time) are typically warm and dry with a moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean. The second important element is that Albariño grapes are small, thick-skinned, and are not susceptible to fungus.  

 

The third important element is that over time, wine-growing techniques have also been adapted to increase ventilation and avoid humidity and moisture. The vines are planted on southern slopes (sometimes on terraces) with a lot of space between them and are trained to grow high, far from the ground, in “parras” that are supported canopies.

 

The vines and grape bunches can be up to 3 meters high above the ground, benefiting from an “all-around” fresh air circulation as well as a generous distance from the ground. The grapes can ripen evenly under the “ceiling-like” canopy. It is typical to see the tractors running freely under the vines. During harvest, grape pickers typically stand on grape bins to reach the bunches of grapes above the head, at a height of 2-3 meters. It is not always an easy task, but at least the work is done in the cool shadow of the vines and the resulting wine is worth every effort.   

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Unique Characteristics

Riax Baxias is unique to Spain in so many ways. The green landscape, the strong influence of the Atlantic Ocean in an otherwise continental country that is mostly inland, the relatively isolated location of Galicia in the far north-west of Spain with Celtic and Portuguese influences, the emphasis on seafood in a country that is otherwise “meat-oriented” and the white wines in a country that is very much dominated by red wines. Albariño is the only wine produced in Spain under the name of the grape variety and not under the name of the region.  

 

Albariño History

From the days of the Roman Empire for centuries onward, Albariño wines were simple and basic, drunk by the locals, and by the pilgrims who walked the “Camino Frances” route on a spiritual journey, to the Santiago di Compostela Cathedral, at the heart of one of the most beautiful urban areas of the world. 

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The simple wines were produced in traditional techniques and tools and the quality was satisfactory to the fisherman population at the time, and to the modest pilgrims on a light budget, who were grateful for a glass of refreshing white wine at the end of a long journey by foot. Additionally, the area was geographically isolated and there was neither motivation nor any reason for change.

 

Modern Albariño Production

The dramatic change came in the 1990s, when the Spanish economy stabilized, communication improved and travel increased. The younger generation started to improve the quality of the wine by deploying modern techniques and methods and by striving for a better understanding of wine production processes (for example the effect of temperature and over oxidation on the grapes). The quality improved, demand grew, investors came, small vineyards were aggregated by businessmen into modern wineries, professional eunologists brought advanced wine-making techniques and equipment, the denomination DO was awarded and the number of bodegas jumped to thousands. 

 

As quality soared, wine lovers became aware of the exceptional Albariño wines of Rias Baixas, and prices went up. Rias Baixas is a small wine region, the vineyards must be spacious, the Albarino is a difficult variety to grow, the weather is sometimes harsh and yields are relatively low. Not all wineries produce equal quality, and there is only a limited amount of this excellent wine available every year. The top wines are sold at a price range similar to top white wines of the leading wine regions.

 

Albariño Wines: Grapes and Characteristics

Albariño wines are almost never oaked, with the philosophy of minimal intervention and minimal interference in the natural process.

 

The wines are light, pure, elegant, mineral, highly acidic, crisp, refreshing, aromatic (from zesty citrus and grapefruit to peach, melon and honeydew) with a creamy texture, to be enjoyed young. Most wines are varietal but sometimes there are blends with smaller quantities of Louriera and Treixadura (other local varieties). Some wineries are experimenting with oak, but the reigning style is oak-free, elegant and pure. 

 

As small as Rias Baixas is, it is divided into 5 “mini” sub-regions, each with a slightly different character of wines resulting from its proximity to the Ocean and to rivers. The styles range from crisp aromatic “green” citrus in Val do Salnes, to soft peach in O Rosal and more earthy mineral in Condado do Tea. The differences, however, are subtle. 

Percebes, Scallops & Voyage

Rias Baixas is also famous as one of the best places for seafood in the world. The fjord-like estuaries are full of fish and seafood of almost any kind, the fisherman typically sails to the Atlantic Ocean for the deep-sea water fish, and the restaurants and taverns buyers come to the peers in the early morning to meet the returning fishermen and to buy the freshest fish and seafood “catch of the day”.

 

One of the rare local delicacies is called “percebes” (goose barnacles in English). Although percebes may not seem edible, they are considered by some people as the best seafood. Percebes are very expensive because they are hand-picked by brave divers from the cliffs against powerful crashing waves at high physical risk.  

 

Another famous local seafood that is much less risky to obtain is scallops. These are famous not only because their exceptional quality and freshness are perfectly matched by the Albariño, but because they are the religious symbol of the pilgrims. The entire “Camino Frances” pilgrim route is marked by shells of scallops, pointing the way to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela, and many adorn their hats with the shells or just carry them home as souvenirs.  

 

To us, the shells point the way to the breathtaking coast of Rias Baixas and to the magic of seafood, music, and of exceptional Albariño.

 

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