GALICIA. De Maison Selections, Inc.

Transcription

1 GALICIA De Maison Selections, Inc.

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3 Tamega GALICIA GALICIA B a y o 0 miles km 10 n m m m Ferrol f B i s c a y e a A Coruña c A s t u r O i a s A t l a n t i c Rías Baixas Rías Baixas S a l n e s l O R o s a P O Santiago de Compostela Tambre Vigo R Umia Lerez Ulla Pontevedra T G A L I C I A R i b e i r o d o Soutomaior Tea Miño U Oitaven Condado de Tea G A U l l a L Avia Ribeiro C h a n t a d a Miño Orense Ribadavia Ribeiras do Mino Arnoya Cabe Monterrei Lugo Miño Monforte de Lemos Sil P O Navea Verín R T Lor Amandi Q u i r o g a - B i b e i R i b e i r a s d o S i l Ribeira Sacra U G A L C a El Barco s t y i l l a e ó L n Valdeorras 3

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5 Amandi, D. Ventura s source for Viña Caneiro D.O. Monterrei Amizade Verín D.O. Rias Baixas Do Ferreiro Meaño D.O. Ribeira Sacra Do Ferreiro s Albariño Vines D. Ventura Ferreira Dominio do Bibei Manzaneda D.O. Ribeiro Emilio Rojo Leiro Viña Mein Leiro Amandi, D. Ventura s source for Viña Caneiro D.O. Valdeorras A Coroa A Rua 5

6 D.O. Monterrei Monterrei is a small Galician D.O. located along the border with Portugal. The region takes its name from the medieval castle that dominates the landscape. The climate here is hotter and drier than it is in the rest of Galicia rest of Galicia due to the lack of influence from the Atlantic Ocean that is enjoyed by most of the other D.O.s in this region. The D.O. is divided into two sub-zones: Valle de Monterrei and Ladera de Monterrei. Winemaking in the region was started by the Romans. During the middle ages wine production expanded thanks to the work of the local monasteries. Due to the strategic military importance of Monterrei s castle in defending the border with Portugal, the region grew in fame and became a popular export market. Monterrei even exported wines to Spanish colonies in the New World. During the past century wine production in Monterrei started to decline. Due to numerous economic and social factors many vineyards were replanted to more commercially viable crops and most of the wineries closed during the later half of the 20th century. In the 1990s efforts were started to revitalize winemaking here. The modern D.O. of Monterrei was established in m m m m 0 km miles 2.5 Cualedro R. Bubal PORTUGAL Vilaza Monterrei S i Oimbra Chaves e r Laza Castrelo Do Val Verín (Amizade) R. Tâmega r a d e Q u Riós M o n t e r r e i e i j a Vilardevós S. Vicente MONTERREI R.Camba R. Pobaçal PORTUGAL Vilar Seco The D.O. produces both red and white wines. The primary white varietals here are Dona Blanca, most commonly used in bulk wines, and Godello, preferred for the finer offerings. As with the rest of Galicia, red wine production is dominated by Mencía but there are a few other varietals grown here, most notably a strain of Tempranillo known as Arauxa. 6

7 Amizade Amizade is a collaboration between Do Ferreiro and De Maison Selections. We have been interested in Galicia for quite some time and we were left with one last unrepresented D.O. in the region: Monterrei. Now our collection is complete with Amizade. Gerardo Mendez of Do Ferreiro was interested in creating a wine just for us that we could use as our house wine from Galicia, one that would represent our longstanding affection Galicia. Amizade is the name of this project, the word is Galician for friendship. Gerardo had long established a friendship with Toni Mendez, one of the premier growers in Monterrei and president of the consejo regulador. Toni had been selling his grapes off to other wineries but with 2010 vintage he partnered with Gerardo to turn the grapes into Amizade. The vineyard is called Quinturas and was planted from a selection of cuttings from a pre-phyloxerra parcel of centennial vines. This area is predominantly sandy soils with slate components. The site is located in the heart of the Monterrei, in a valley where the cool nights have extended the viticultural cycle. The site is planted in rows following a north to south axis in order to capture as much sunlight as possible. Monterrei itself is a valley surrounded by mountains with some of the optimum vineyards on the valley floor because of the cooling nature of the valley floor. The grapes for the white are Godello cuttings from the ancient site and the red is predominantly Mencia with a small percentage of Caiño and Arauxa (a clone of Tempranillo) form the same pre-phyloxerra parcel of centennial vines. This ancient site comprises only one hectare and is a rich source of Monterrei s heritage. There are thought to be over thirty different varietals represented in this one site. Plans are under way to make a bottling of a white and a red from this amazing parcel. Vinification was all done at a very sophisticated facility in the region and utilized native yeast with fermentation in temperature controlled tanks. Bottled after six months of lees aging, these wines stand to drink well upon release and benefit from some bottle aging. Amizade Godello 2010 Sites Quinturas 100% Godello Varietals 380m - 400m Sand and slate Temperature controlled stainless Fermentation years 6 months on the lees. Amizade Mencía 2010 Sites Quinturas 380m - 400m Sand and slate years Mencia Varietals A little Caiño and Arauxa Temperature controlled stainless Fermentation 6 months on the lees. 7

8 n D.O. Rias Baixas This viticultural region takes its name after the estuaries that flow into the lower parts of Galicia. These water ways create a very unique ecosystem full of life, both in the ocean and on land. The most famous of Galicia s denominations, Rias Baixas has its roots with its founding in In 1988 three sub-zones were demarcated: Val do Salnès, Condado do Tea and O Rosal. Additional sub-zones were introduced with Soutomaior added in 1996 and Ribera do Ulla in The denomination comprises 3,814 hectares and is predominantly planted to the Albariño grape variety. Other permitted varieties are Loureiro, Treixadura, Caiño Blanco, Souson and Caiño for the reds. The soils range from decomposed granite, found predominantly in the Salnès Valley, to alluvial soils in the O Rosal and Condado subzones. i c O c e a A t l a n t m m m S a l n e s Santiago de Compostela R. Tambre R. Umia R. Ulla R. Lerez Meaño (Do Ferreiro) Pontevedra O R o s a l P O Vigo R i b e i r o d o U l l a R. Oitaven Soutomaior R T R. Tea Condado de Tea R. Miño U G A L R.Avia 0 km 0 miles G A L I C I A Ribadavia RÍAS BAIXAS R. Miño Orense R. Arnoya R. Lima The dominant Salnès sub-zone, where more than 50 percent of vineyards are located, enjoys a unique orientation towards the sea and is protected by a range of mountains that inhibit the fog from entering. In addition, the proximity to the ocean creates a unique micro-climate that is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean breezes bring their maritime air with them and give the wines their distinctive flavor profiles. The parcels in this region are extremely small and owned by many small growers. This creates great problems in producing wines of any significant quantity and especially when attempting to attain a quality product. 8

9 Do Ferreiro Gerardo Mendez currently runs this winery, founded in Gerardo owns 5 hectares. Three hectares are over 50 years old and one is 200 years old. The vineyards follow organic guidelines avoiding the use of pesticides and non-organic fertilizers. In addition Gerardo is a fanatic of indigenous yeasts believing that through this practice the true qualities of his terruño appear. Utilizing the latest technology, Gerardo blends the traditional with the modern to produce lively, crisp wines true to their origin. Gerardo farms 8 separate plots of Albariño all located in the Salnes Valley. This valley s proximity to the ocean and protection by mountain ranges has gained it the reputation for being the best area in Rias Baixas. Each of the plots is separately fermented and aged on the lees for approximately six months. The blend of these plots is what makes up Do Ferreiro Albariño. Do Ferreiro Rebisaca 2010 Sites Meaño and Condado 250m Granite and sand (Meaño) Alluvial (Condado) years 85% Albariño Varietals 15% Treixadura Temperature controlled stainless Fermentation 9 months on the lees. Do Ferreiro Albariño ml & Site Meaño 100% Albariño Varietals 150m - 250m Granite and sand Temperature controlled stainless Fermentation years 9 months on the lees. Do Ferreiro Albariño Cepas Vellas 2009 Site Meaño 100% Albariño Varietals 150m - 250m Granite and sand Temperature controlled stainless Fermentation 200+ years 12 months on the lees. 9

10 This area is named for the many chapels that dot the rugged landscape. Founded in 1996, the denomination currently comprises 1,270 hectares that are predominately planted with the mencía grape. Extremely removed from the beaten path, this area was once famous for magnificent red wines. The incredible landscape, with its terraces cut out of the mountain sides, recall an era in which labor was cheap and plentiful. Today, all that remains are very small plots maintained against the hardships of a very demanding landscape. There are two main rivers that define the area: the Miño River and the Sil River. The Sil River flows on an east-west axis and merges with the Miño River which flows on a north-south axis. These two rivers join forces in the center of the region and then flow into the Atlantic Ocean, creating the natural boundary between Portugal and Spain along the way. This viticultural area comprises five distinct sub-zones: Chantada, Riberas de Miño, Riberas de Sil, Amandi and Quiroga-Bibei. D.O. Ribeira Sacra RIBEIRA SACRA m m m m R. Miño Orense The Chantada and Miño sub-zones are located along the Miño River and are char- 0 km 10 0 miles 10 acterized by a very wet climate. This is especially true of the Miño sub-zone. Carved terraces step down to the meandering river. This area is extremely humid and enjoys plentiful rain. Vegetation is abundant, with ferns growing alongside the vines. The soils tend to be composed of lousa, a type of brown, decomposed slate. On the Sil River we encounter the other three sub-zones. The first, on the south side of the river, is the Riberas do Sil. This area once had terraces planted all along the river but few remain in use today. The area on the north (right) bank is the Amandi sub-zone. This is the most extreme of the sub-zones with terraces that jut down on 60 degree slopes. The soils here are also lousa but vegetation is sparse. The vineyards have better exposure, facing south but with the river also providing a great cooling and refractory effect. Following the river west, the soils tend to have more granite, especially around the town of Doade, and the terraces become less steep. The eastern most sub-zone is the Quiroga-Bibei area. This area is along the natural border with the Valdeorras denomination and is named after the Bibei River, which meets the Sil River here. The climate is completely different in this sub-zone due to much harsher and drier weather. Wild herbs such as rosemary, fennel and thyme grow throughout this area. The soils are a mix of granite and slate. Like the rest of the denomination, the vineyards are all terraces cut out of the mountain sides. R. Ferreira Chantada Los Peares Taboada C h a n t a d a Nogueira de Ramuin Ribeiras do Mino Ferreira de Pantón (D. Ventura) Sober Lugo Sarria Monforte de Lemos Amandi R. Cabe R. Miño R. Neira R. Sil R i b e i r a s d o S i l S i e r r a d e S. M a m e d R. Lor Quiroga Becerreá Q u i r o g a - B i b e i R. Navea Manzaneda (Dominio do Bibei) S i e r r a d e P i c o s d e A n c a r e s S i e r r a d e l C a u r e l R. Sil R. Jares R. Bibei El Barco de Valdeorras 10

11 D. Ventura One of the most stunning landscapes in Spain is located in the heart of Galiciain an area known as the Ribeira Sacra (Sacred Banks). Driving on the N-120 between Vilafranca del Bierzo and Orense you follow the river Sil as it cuts through gorgeous canyons terraced with vineyards. D. Ventura is a new project by Ramon Losada and his family utilizing old family holdings in this ancient wine growing region. Ever since the Romans inhabited the area, people have been growing grapes on the steep terraces lining the two rivers that form the Denomination. Working these lands is extremely difficult as the terraces in some areas are so steep that all the grapes have to be brought in on a dumb waiter. All farming is done by hand and Ramon, with the help of Gerardo Mendez (Do Ferreiro), changed the farming techniques to incorporate a more natural approach. In addition to an organic approach to farming, winemaking has also changed. Only indigenous yeast is used to start fermentation. None of the wines are filtered or cold stabilized. Lastly, the maturation of the grapes is watched carefully to insure that the grapes are fully mature when harvested. There are currently three vineyard sites. Two border the River Sil and one borders the Miño River. Caneiro and Pena do Lobo are in an area known as Amandi. This area has been famous throughout time as being one of the best sites for making wines. Caneiro in particular is unique. Steep terraces line the river. The soil here is pure slate known as Losa. The river here adds a sweet freshness to this plot, cooling it during the heat of the day. Pena do Lobo is also on the Sil but the vineyard is less steep and at a light further distance from the river. The soils are a mix of slate and granite. Viña do Burato is in a totally different area north of the other two on the Miño River. Here the landscape is lush. Streams flow directly through the vineyard on the way down to the river Miño. The soils here are more fertile and alluvial. All three of these plots have unique climates that create distinct wines. D. Ventura Viña do Burato 2010 Site Miño 100% Mencía Varietals Slate 80+ years Temperature controlled stainless None Fermentation 11

12 D. Ventura Pena do Lobo 2010 Site Amandi 100% Mencía Varietals Granite 80+ years Temperature controlled stainless None Fermentation D. Ventura Viña Caneiro 2009 Site Amandi 100% Mencía Varietals Slate 80+ years Temperature controlled stainless None Fermentation 12

13 Dominio do Bibei Dominio do Bibei is located in the Quiroga-Bibei sub zone of the Ribeira Sacra D.O. Like all Ribeira Sacra sub zones, this area is one of spectacular mountain ranges following rivers, but it is drier and harsher than the others. Javier Dominguez is the brainchild of this crazy adventure to recapture a once grand vineyard. Old terraces are being restructured and new plantings are afoot. Dominio do Bibei is a 125 hectare estate with approximately 45 hectares planted today. Javier s vision of austerity and respect for the history is reflected in the winery and its simple design. Gravity rules. There are no stainless steel tanks; wood or cement are the vehicles of choice and they come in all the different sizes. The idea is to return to the past to rediscover what was once here. The wine maker Laura Lorenzo has similar ideas. She follows many of the ideas of biodynamic viticulture to obtain the purest expression of this terruño. Planted on these terraces are old vines of Mencía, Garnacha, Brancellao and Mouraton. New plots are being planted using cuttings from these old vines so as to maintain clonal diversity in the vineyard. In addition to the red varietals, there are plantings of white grape varieties such as Doña Blanca, Godello and Albariño (the cuttings of this last grape being from Do Ferreiro). The sites vary greatly because of the orientation of the plots and the soil types. Because this is a transition zone which touches Valdeorras, you have soils of slate, granite and clay interspersed among the hillsides. Dominio do Bibei, Lalama 2007 Site Quiroga-Bibei 300m - 700m Slate and clay years 85% Mencía 7% Garnacha 6% Brancellao 2% Mouraton Fermented in foudres (85%) and open barrels (15%). Lees aging for 21 months in foudre (35%) and in 1-3 year old French oak barrels (65%). Aged 18 months in bottle. Varietals Fermentation 13

14 Dominio do Bibei, Lacima 2007 Site Quiroga-Bibei 100% Mencía Varietals 300m - 700m Fragmented slate years 4 days of cool pre-fermentation with daily pump-overs followed by fermentation in 500L barrels. Lees aging for 20 months in 300L 1-year old French oak barrels. Unfined, naturally stabilized, and minimal filtration. Aged 18 months in bottle. Fermentation Dominio do Bibei, Lapola 2008 Site Quiroga-Bibei 400m - 750m Schist and slate years 80% Godello 20% blend of Dona Blanca, Torrontés, and Loureira Cold fermentation in 1-4 year old 600L barrels. Varietals Fermentation Lees aging for 13 months in concrete tanks and then 2 months in stainless Aged 8 months in bottle. Dominio do Bibei, Lapena 2007 Site Quiroga-Bibei 100% Godello Varietals 670m, 480m Fragmented slate and schist Cold fermentation in 1and 3 Fermentation 31 years, 18 years year old 600L barrels. Lees aging for 9 months in barrels, 4 months in foudre and then 7 months in concrete tanks. Unfined, unfiltered and unstabilized. Aged 18 months in bottle. 14

15 S D.O. Ribeiro Ribeiro is one of the oldest denominations in Galicia. The denomination s origins date back to regional by-laws established in 1594 to govern the production and sale of wines from the area around the old market town of Ribadavia. The modern D.O., centered around Ribadavia, was founded in 1956 and currently comprises 2,767 hectares. This old area was once known as the home of the longest lived white wines of Galicia. Located on the Sil River, the town of Ribadavia rises up above the river with the old bodegas still standing in the town square. It was in these bodegas that merchants used to sell wine in barrel, roll it down the street to the docks, and load it onto the ships that would export it across Europe and even to the New World. The predominant grape planted in the denomination is Treixadura. In addition to Treixadura, there are plantings of Albariño, Lado, Torrontes, Loureiro, Albilla for whites and Caiño for the reds. The soils here are predominantly granite. Temperatures can be quite high during the summer months. The vineyards border the rivers where they are protected from the excessive heat of the valley floor that tends to produce wines lacking freshness. Historically, the best vineyard sites are up on the hillsides where the cooler air refreshes the grapes and creates a longer vegetative cycle. Carballiño m m m m R. Avia d i o Avion Leiro (Emilio Rojo) San Clodio (Viña Mein) r a e l d S u R i b e i r o R. Miño Orense e r i Ribadavia RIBEIRO La Cañiza Cartelle R. Arnoya Arbo R. Miño PORTUGAL Celanova 0 km miles

16 Emilio Rojo Emilio Rojo is an eccentric former engineer who established this estate in He moved back to his native Galicia to recuperate ancient vineyard sites and winemaking traditions. He owns two hectares of terraced hillside vineyards in Ribeiro in a former Roman village that was known locally as Ibedo. The tiny parcel lies on granite soils and is surrounded by oak and chestnut trees. Emilio replanted this vineyard site to the indigenous varieties that once grew on this same plot. Its north facing exposure is key in creating structure in the wines since Ribeiro is a very hot denomination. All organically farmed by Emilio without the use of pesticides or non-organic fertilizer. Emilio Rojo 2010 Site Ibedo 250m - 300m Granite years 55% Treixadura 15% Loureiro 10% Lado 10% Albariño 10% Torrontes Temperature controlled stainless Varietals Fermentation None 16

17 Viña Mein Long ago in Spain s history, Ribeiro was a prominent wine producing area. Its white wines gained great fame during the sixteenth century, but the fame was not to last. Slowly the popularity of wines from the area decreased, and the production slowed until the great wines of Ribeiro were forgotten by the world. The locals never forgot their winemaking heritage, though. In 1998 a group of friends from San Clodio y Gomariz decided that they should revitalize this ancient viticultural area. At the forefront of this group was Viña Mein founder Javier Alén. With a little help from his friends Javier Alén replanted 16 hectares of vineyards on the hillsides of the Avia River. The focus for these vineyards was to reestablish some of the ancient varietals of Galician white grapes: Treixadura, Godello, Loureira, Torrontes, Albariño and Albilla. As an experimental side project, they also planted 400 vines of Galician red grapes that include Caiño, Mencía and Ferrón. Today Javier crafts his wine from a blend built around the local favorite varietal of Treixadura. By adding some of his Godello and Loureira (along with small amounts of Albariño, Torrontes, Albilla and Caiño) he creates the aromatic, tasty and deliciously refreshing Viña Mein. Viña Mein 2010 Site San Clodio y Gomariz 350m Granite 20 years Lutte Raisonnée 80% Treixadura 10% Godello 5% Loureiro 5% blend of Albariño, Torrontés, Albilla and Caiño Temperature controlled stainless Varietals Fermentation Lees aging. 17

18 One of Galicia s more historically significant wine producing regions is Valdeorras, located at the eastern extremity of Galicia. Inhabited since pre-history, settlements in this area greatly expanded with the arrival of the Romans who came in search of metals and ore. They set up mines within the territory and used water to bore tunnels and extract slate. In the process, they built new towns, fortresses and trade routes and began planting grapes on the hillsides. Made up of 1,300 hectares, this denomination was founded in The principal grape variety planted here is Godello but there are many plantings of other grapes such as Palomino Fino and Doña Blanca. These other grapes were planted mainly for their productivity and not their quality after the region was devastated by phylloxera in the late 19th century. There are also some plantings of Mencía and Garnacha Tintorrera for reds. In the 1970s Godello was reintroduced to the region and then in 1985 a major study was undertaken to identify the original clones of the Godello that were best suited to the area. This study allowed a replanting of Valdeorras based on quality as opposed to quantity. There are several different viticultural areas or zones within Valdeorras with the predominant R. Sil 1500 m m m m D.O. Valdeorras S i e r r a d e l C a u r e l La Rouco R. Bibei A Rua (A Coroa) Petin R. Jares ones between the towns of O Barco and A Rua. The other important area of cultivation is surrounding the town of O Bolo. The soils tend to vary from slate in the O Barco/A Rua area to granite in the O Bolo area. The best vineyards are those located above the rivers since they benefit from a cooler climate. M t e s. O Bolo M o r Villamartín t o u t o La Vega O Barco Rubiana R. Selmo V a l d e o r r a s S i e r r a d e l S i R. Sil Carballeda E j e e r r a C a R. Sil R. Cabrera Puenta de Domingo Florez b r e r a VALDEORRAS 0 km 5 0 miles 5 18

19 A Coroa Angel Lopez and his family founded this winery in 2002 after spending years in the nursery business in Valdeorras. Native to the region, they supplied a majority of the wineries with their vines and have been on the forefront of Valdeorras renewed interest in the Godello varietal. Godello was one of the original varietals grown in the region by the Romans over two thousand years ago, since then the grape has slowly drifted toward obscurity until newer winemakers in the area decided to resurrect this unique varietal that is native to Valdeorras. An ancient varietal isn t the only Roman treasure that Angel Lopez and his family utilize in their winemaking; they found an old Roman edifice whose remaining chimney is a reminder of the glorious past of this region. They restored the original building, respecting the parameters of that time period, stone, wood, mud and iron. They installed the latest technology including a rotary fermenter. Small 10,000 liter refrigerated tanks allow for the individual parcels to be separately vinified. They farm a total of 10 hectares comprised of several different vineyard sites all located in the area around the winery at A Rua in Valdeorras. The parcels have varying exposures and elevations but tend to share slate soils and the Godello grape as a unifying element. As the most in-land part of Galicia, these sites enjoy warmer days than most of the region but still benefits from the cool air traveling along the river Sil. All the vineyards are hand harvested. Viticulture is non-certified organic. All the parcels are fermented using indigenous yeast and at low temperatures to extract maximum aromas and flavors. The wines are then aged on the lees for 6 months and a blend is made from the best lots to create A Coroa. A Coroa 2010 Site A Rua 100% Godello Varietals Slate and clay 15 years Temperature controlled stainless Lees aging for 6 months. Fermentation 19