GALICIA: BEYOND ALBARINO
Albariño is the best-known ambassador for Galician grapes. But Galicia is much more than Albariño. In fact, the region is a heartland for a large number of highly distinctive wines made from several different grape varieties.
One might wonder why these Galician wines aren’t yet widely known. There are two reasons. Firstly, Galicia was a poor and isolated region throughout the 20th century, with no resources to produce high-quality wines, and emigration a major concern. Secondly, land holdings in Galicia are extremely small – less than 1ha per holding in many areas. On this scale, quality winemaking was almost impossible.
Today, however, an increasing number of highly skilled young professionals are dedicated to demonstrating the potential of Galician terroirs and grape varieties. Wines of high quality and uniqueness have come to the fore, albeit in very limited quantities.
Godello is the new Galician star. Rescued by Horacio Fernández Presa, an official who launched a development programme for the region in the 1970s, it came to international fame thanks to Rafael Palacios. Now, it is the base of some of the greatest wines in Spain, mainly in Valdeorras, but also in Monterrei, Ribeira Sacra and, outside Galicia, in Bierzo. Godello is very demanding in terms of viticulture and winemaking, and needs ageing in order to free its essence. The best wines improve with bottle age,
