D.O. Designation of Origin

Located in the Southwest of Galicia, the DO Rías Baixas saw the light of day for the first time in 1980. The main grape of this land is the Albariño, although other varieties are also cultivated. Thus, the DO is divided into 5 sub-zones: El Valle del Salnés, Tea County, El Rosal, Soutomaior, Ribera del Ulla.

SOIL

In the DO Rías Baixas, most of the vineyards are located a short distance from the sea, so they are low and shallow lands, which reach a maximum of 300 meters above sea level. This location causes the soils to be characterized as being mainly sandy and mineral, especially granitic, and somewhat acidic, which gives the wines touches of salinity.

The Albariña grape is the star grape of the DO Rías Baixas and one of the most important and well-known in Galicia. Its clusters and fruits are small, weighing no more than 125 grams and ripen early. It is a sweet and glyceric grape, with a high level of sugar and acidity that gives great freshness to the wines. Traditionally cultivated in trellises, it is one of the symbols of Galicia par excellence.

However, the DO also has other varieties, both white and red. Among the white varieties, it is worth highlighting the Treixadura, Caiño Blanco and Loureira varieties.

THE WEATHER

The climate of the DO Rías Baixas is influenced by the Atlantic with mild temperatures and high rainfall that decreases considerably in the summer season. The average temperature during winter is around 10ºC and there is barely a small difference between day and night. For its part, rainfall is around 1200 ml. on average per year.