Ribeira Sacra
Quinta do Estranxeiro "O Estranxeiro" Ribeira Sacra Tinto '21
A Galician, Eulogio Pomares launched Quinta do Estranxeiro with his wife, Rebeca Montero, in Ribeira Sacra in 2019. Previously, he had worked with his family’s estate in Rías Baixas, Bodegas Zárate, known for its Albariño wines. Ribeira Sacra’s steep hillsides are well suited to grapevines, with the Miño and Sil rivers having carved the area’s granite into a network of exposures and microclimates. They also present challenges, though, making it difficult to tend vines in such a remote and steep area; parcels are small and grape quantities are low.
Eulogio and Rebeca work with two primary sites for the Ribeira Sacra red, both on steeply terraced hillsides with 50-plus-year-old, bush-trained vines. A vineyard on the Sil river (Amandi subzone), has warmer, southern exposures, and features slate mixed with granite. The second vineyard, in A Cova, on the Miño river (Ribeiras do Miño subzone), is planted on granite soils and receives a more cooling, Atlantic influence. They farm all their vineyards organically—a feat in Galicia’s humid, often rainy climate. Blending fruit from different terroirs is a way to perfect the balance and complexity of their wines.
The “O Estranxeiro” Tinto is mostly made from Mencía. Fruit is picked by hand and partially destemmed, with 30% whole cluster, and the juice is transferred to large chestnut barrels and concrete tanks before spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts. The must macerates for about three weeks before pressing, and the wine is then aged in a combination of Italian Gamba botti, Garbelotto botti, and concrete tanks for 6–12 months before bottling.
Eulogio and Rebeca work with two primary sites for the Ribeira Sacra red, both on steeply terraced hillsides with 50-plus-year-old, bush-trained vines. A vineyard on the Sil river (Amandi subzone), has warmer, southern exposures, and features slate mixed with granite. The second vineyard, in A Cova, on the Miño river (Ribeiras do Miño subzone), is planted on granite soils and receives a more cooling, Atlantic influence. They farm all their vineyards organically—a feat in Galicia’s humid, often rainy climate. Blending fruit from different terroirs is a way to perfect the balance and complexity of their wines.
The “O Estranxeiro” Tinto is mostly made from Mencía. Fruit is picked by hand and partially destemmed, with 30% whole cluster, and the juice is transferred to large chestnut barrels and concrete tanks before spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts. The must macerates for about three weeks before pressing, and the wine is then aged in a combination of Italian Gamba botti, Garbelotto botti, and concrete tanks for 6–12 months before bottling.
Perman
Spain
Details
| Producer | Quinta do Estranxeiro |