ORIGINS OF ALBARIÑO
The Wines of Rías Baixas
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DENOMINATION OF ORIGIN (DO) RÍAS BAIXAS
is renowned for the Albariño grape, a native variety that produces some of the world’s foremost white wines. Located on the Atlantic coast of northwestern Galicia, a lush area known as Green Spain, Rías Baixas shares the same mineral-rich soils and cool climate as the Loire Valley, Marlborough, and the Rhine.
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CULTURE & HISTORY
1980
La Denominación
Específica Albariño launches 1988
Renamed to DO Rías Baixas
2023 Record sales. US is #1 Export Market! 600 BC Celtic Era 19 BC – 410 AD Roman Gallaecia 9th Century Camino de Santiago begins 19th Century Diaspora
WHERE IS RÍAS BAIXAS
Rías Baixas Is Galician for ‘lower estuaries’
VAL DO SALNÉS
Birthplace of Albariño
64% of vines
CONDADO DO TEA
Most inland, warmer 20% of vines O ROSAL
Right bank of Miño River 11% of vines
RIBEIRA
DO ULLA
Newest sub-zone
3% of vines
SOUTOMAIOR
Hillside vines, Ria de Vigo 2% of vines
The Five Sub-Regions
ALBARIÑO: THE GRAPE
AN ANCIENT GRAPE
Native to Galicia
Medium, thick-skinned berry
Susceptible to mildew
Prefers well-drained, granite soils
Color: Pale straw to golden-lemon
Acidity: High Alc. 12-13.5%
AROMAS & FLAVORS
ALBARIÑO & OTHER VARIETIES
White wine
of all plantings are Albariño
12 Permitted White Grapes
Primary: Albariño
Treixadura
Loureiro/a
Caíño Blanco
Torrontés
Godello
QUALITY CONTROL
CONSEJO REGULADOR
<1% Red Grapes (Tinto)
Sousón
Espadeiro
Caíño Tinto
Loureira Tinta
Brancellao
Mencía
Pedral
99%
95%
WINE STYLES
RÍAS BAIXAS
100% sourced from DO Rías Baixas
RÍAS BAIXAS ALBARIÑO
100% Albariño; minimum 11.3% alc, sourced from any sub-region
RÍAS BAIXAS TINTO
Red wine, less than 1% of production
RÍAS BAIXAS BARRICA
Wines aged in oak (red or white); minimum 11.5% alc
RÍAS BAIXAS VAL DO SALNÉS
100% Val do Salnés; minimum 70% Albariño
RÍAS BAIXAS
CONDADO DO TEA
100% Condado do Tea; minimum blend 70%
Albariño & Treixadura
8 WINE STYLES
PERMITTED
RÍAS BAIXAS
ROSAL
100% Rosal; minimum blend 70%
Albariño & Loureiro
RÍAS BAIXAS
ESPUMOSO
Traditional method sparkling; minimum 9 months on lees
SPECIAL LABEL TERM
Sobre Lías: Lees aging
THE CLIMATE
Moderate year-round temperatures
(Average annual temp: 59° F)
2200 + hours of sunshine
1,600 mm annual rainfall (vs. 690 mm Napa Valley)
THE VINES
Vines are planted from sea level up to 1,000 feet
Vines are widely-spaced. Trained on stone pergolas (parras) to maximize sun and ventilation.
All manual harvesting. Challenging and expensive!
THE SOIL
Hard granitic SOILS with mineral-rich alluvial topsoils and iron-rich Xabre (sha-bree)
THE PEOPLE
180 Producers
10,677 Acres
22,800 Parcels
Most plots < 1 acre
5,011 Growers +50% Women Winemakers
Primarily small, family-owned ownership
WINEMAKING
with the
Malolactic
extended aging
Extended contact
lees Partial
fermentation Pre-Fermentation maceration Wild Yeast Barrel fermentation and
WINEMAKING - LEES
Prevent oxidation during storage Maximize aromatic complexity
Add volume on the palate
Increase longevity for extended aging
Second fermentation for sparkling
AGE WORTHY WINES
FOOD-FRIENDLY
Albariño from Rías Baixas delivers high acidity + powerful flavors = a food pairing dream!
FUN FACT: Rías Baixas sales spike each year to meet Thanksgiving demand.
LET’S DRINK SOME ALBARIÑO!
@Riasbaixaswine
#RiasBaixas
#RBAlbarino
#RiasBaixasAlbarino
#AlbariñofromSpain
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CONTACT Trade Contact: Melanie Migliorato Melanie@gregoryvine.com RIASBAIXASWINES.COM @RIASBAIXASWINES
