The Rías Baixas DO is located in the Galicia region, in northwestern Spain on the Atlantic coast.
The Rías Baixas DO is located in the Galicia region, in northwestern Spain on the Atlantic coast. It’s situated in the province of Pontevedra, and is neighbored to the east by Portugal. The specific appellation of Rías Baixas consists of nine subzones that define particular production and climate areas: Currán, O Rosal, Condado do Tea, Ribeira do Ulla, Val do Salnés, Soutomaior and Condado de Tea (which itself is made up of two smaller subzones—Deza and Darbo).
Many wine historians contend that vines were first planted in the Rias Baixas by the Phoenicians in 1200 BC.
Rías Baixas DO is a region that has been used by humankind since the Phoenicians first showed up in the Iberian Peninsula. We probably don’t need to go into too much detail about the history of this region, but there are some interesting facts and things worth mentioning.
The region’s ancient name was Rios Baixos – Basque for ‘low waters’, because it was located on the banks of the river Ebro. The river was named after its appearance when travelling downstream: you can see how low the river becomes behind you as it curves away from you and looks like an arch. It’s thought that this might be where the first vineyards were established (1200 BC).
In 2000 BC, Aztecs arrived in Andalusia, and proceeded to hand out vineyards across medieval Spain. This must have been a really bad year for them, because many other Spanish regions rejected their culture or sent their wines back! Archaeologists believe Aztec viniculture involved growing vines in containers and transplanting them soon afterwards. There were also wooden presses that transported wine from lagares – natural limestone pools where grapes were grown, so they functioned more as cellars than wineries themselves. The best evidence shows that wine production started in Rias Baixas during this time; however, the region lacked enough people to turn it into an important industry until recent years (approximately 1800 AD). During these centuries, Roman rule is thought to have spread wine cultivation throughout Spain, with most being produced in Rías Baixas (1500 AD).
Rias Baixas DO is largely made up of three distinct areas: Montilla-Moriles (Montilla), Almansa (Almansa), and Jerez de la Frontera (Jerez de la Frontera). In fact, Jerez de La Frontera has still not abandoned winemaking traditions from pre-Roman times with methods such as using both barrel-fer
The denomination is divided into five sub-zones: Condado do Tea, O Rosal, Ribeira do Ulla, Soutomaior, and Val do Salnés.
The region of Rías Baixas is actually divided into five sub-zones, each of which has its own unique characteristics. You may notice that the wines from different sub-zones have a slightly different flavor profile when you taste them side by side. The five sub-zones are Condado do Tea, O Rosal, Ribeira do Ulla, Soutomaior, and Val do Salnés.
The largest of these five is Val do Salnés, which covers almost half of the total area of the Rías Baixas DO and produces over 60% of all its wine. The central zone of Condado do Tea accounts for roughly one quarter of the wine production in Rías Baixas DO. Both O Rosal and Ribeira do Ulla produce around 8% and 7% each, while Soutomaior makes up less than 2%.
Although only 25% of the production from Rías Baixas DO is white wine, it is ultimately what the region is best known for.
Although only 25% of the production from Rías Baixas DO is white wine, it is ultimately what the region is best known for: Albarino. This grape variety makes for a very fresh, often tangy and high acidity character with lots of orchard and citrus fruit flavors, as well as salty/mineral notes—a perfect match for the area’s seafood. When made with no oak contact, it can also have some subtle floral notes on top of those fruit flavors. The grape variety is named after the river that runs through this region: the river Alba (Albar in Spanish). It’s also grown in Portugal where it’s called Alvarinho.
Albarino grapes from from Rías Baixas DO are known for their high levels of acidity and beautiful aromatics.
If you’ve ever had a wine from the Rías Baixas DO, it probably featured high acidity and aromatics. Known for its fresh, fruity, floral, with a hint of minerality, this region is home to some of Spain’s most desirable white wines.
The Albarino grapes from this region are usually harvested early to preserve acidity with the resulting wines being known for their ability to age.
The most dominant white wine produced in Rías Baixas DO is made from 100% Albarino grapes.
The most dominant white wine produced in Rías Baixas DO is made from 100% Albarino grapes. This variety is characterized by high acidity, and a crisp, fresh and aromatic character. The wines are often compared to a Sauvignon Blanc, but with a bit more body and weight. They are excellent companions to seafood dishes.
Treixadura and Loureira Blanca are also authorized grape varieties within Rías Baixas DO, but they are much less common than Albariño.
You may also see Treixadura or Loureira Blanca as authorized grape varieties in Rías Baixas DO, but these are much less common.
Both are believed to be of French origin and are grown in the north of Portugal.
Verdejo, Torrontes Blanco (Argentina), Albariño de Fefiñans (Portugal), Alvarinho (Equivalent to Albarino in Portugal) and Treixadura (Portugal) are some other varieties related to Albariño.
The Albariño grape is related to Verdejo, Torrontes Blanco (Argentina), Albariño de Fefiñans (Portugal), Alvarinho (Equivalent to Albarino in Portugal) and Treixadura (Portugal).