Rías Baixas in Galicia, Spain, is the most famous wine region in Galicia, though it is often known simply by its characteristic grape: Albariño. Rías are inlets of the Atlantic similar to fjords. These rías give the vineyards a very strong Atlantic influence; the near constant humid ocean air means the vines must be trained on high trellises to prevent mildew. Nearly all wine here is white and made from Albariño. These wines are fresh and mineral with lively acidity that makes them the perfect pairing with the local seafood-dominated cuisine.
Albariños from the Rías Baixas were the first successful white wines of the revitalization of Spanish wine that began in the 1980s. The early widely distributed Albariños were largely fresh and crisp, fermented in stainless steel to maintain the floral and tropical aromas of the grape. As the years have gone by, however, Albariño has proven to be much more than a light white to drink with seafood, but also age-worthy. Most top producers now produce aged Albariños, sometimes even incorporating oak into the winemaking process. Single-vineyard wines made from old vines grown on granite soils–concentrated, haunting wines–have shown the world that this grape, grown in Rías Baixas terroir, can be a world-class white.
The wineries discussed below are some of the most exciting producers to taste from. On average Rías Baixas wines tend to be high quality, so whether you’re picking up a bottle at your local wine shop or visiting the area, you’re likely to encounter very good wines from small and unknown producers.
Albamar
When Xurxo Alba took over the family winery in 2006, the Albariño wines made there were not being bottled, instead finding customers in bulk at the family’s humble bar. Xurxo began bottling wines and transforming the vineyards with sustainable practices. Today, Albamar is one of the most exciting producers in the Rías Baixas. Xurxo’s Albariños, which he ferments using native yeasts, have a concentration and minerality rarely seen in a region where very light wines have become the norm. Albamar wines have made their way onto the wine lists of Spain’s best restaurants and his rare experimental wines are sought-after gems.
Attis
Attis is a family winery with just two decades bottling wine, but when you arrive at the winery it’s hard to believe it. The stunning new building offers some of the best views of the Val do Salnés available anywhere, and its shining structure speaks to the success of Attis’s wines. From the family’s small holdings of Albariño vineyards has sprung one of the most exciting and dynamic wineries in the whole region. The core of the winery, and the vast majority of production, comes from the Albariño Lías Finas, a benchmark for a young Albariño that offers surprising complexity for an entry level wine. The rest of Attis’s wines are small production jewels that frequently break new ground. Apart from several Albariños from special vineyards and with more extended aging in conventional vessels, you’ll find one aged in granite, two different orange wines, and even Attis Mar, aged under the sea. Attis is also famous for using grapes other than Albariño, including a white made from rare Caiño Blanco and a white blend alongside a rainbow of single varietal red wines and several red blends. There are even two sweet wines made from Albariño! All of this variety might seem intimidating, but the best way to understand the importance Attis is as a laboratory for discovering the full potential of the terroirs of the Val do Salnés through small productions of new wines.
Gerardo Méndez
One of the most respected producers in Rías Baixas, the Méndez family’s winery in Meaño takes old vines to a new level. The star vineyard is the plot planted next to the ancestral family home, where twisted Albariño vines that are over 200 years old give rise to Do Ferreiro Cepa Vellas (old vines), a cult wine in Spain and around the world. Gerardo Méndez’s other Albariños, including the ever-popular Do Ferreiro and the rarer single-vineyard bottlings, provide some of the purest and most enchanting expressions of the Albariño grape in Spain.
Granbazán
From a stunning Galician palace surrounded by carefully tended vines, Granbazán has for decades been producing complex Albariños in pioneering styles. From its founding in the early 1980s, Granbazán has focused on getting the most out of the Albariño grape. The owners planted vineyards on the best granite soils with selected clones of the indigenous grape and they trained the vines high off the ground on the traditional granite posts. Each of the house's wines uses grapes from specific vineyards. The winemaking and aging vary, from the stainless steel freshness of the Etiqueta Verde to the lees aging and occasional oak of the flagship wines. Granbazán is a beautiful place to taste and learn about Albariño, and their Albariños are among the best on the market.
Lagar de Costa
Down a narrow road that winds through hamlets down to the coast of the Rías Baixas across from beach destination O Grove, Lagar de Costa is as close to the water as any winery in the region. The old vineyards of Albariño are separated from the sea only by a small strip of virgin beach. They offer a stunning view across the ría and yield grapes with crisp freshness due to the Atlantic influence and sandy granite soils. Lagar de Costa is a family project with generations of history making wine in the area. The property features a small winery and a cozy boutique hotel in one. The whites are a series of studies in quality Albariño. The essential young Albariño is one of the region’s most reliable, while the small production whites use older vines and age extensively in oak, concrete eggs, and stainless steel respectively. Viva La Vid is one of the few reds made anywhere from the nearly extinct Espadeiro grape. It’s a vibrant, fresh wine that showcases the unique characteristics of red Rías Baixas and also helps to preserve this rare grape for the future. Lagar de Costa is a wonderful boutique producer and the hospitality of the family will make you want to stay the night on site.
Lagar de Pintos
Wine has been made in Rías Baixas for hundreds of years, but few wineries have been commercializing wine for more than a generation or two. Lagar de Pintos is an exception, with four generations of the Pintos family making wine at the estate and bottling beginning in the 1950s, long before the creation of the DO Rías Baixas and subsequent demand for Albariño. The family pazo that contains the winery is surrounded by Albariño vineyards planted by previous generations. This long history means that there is plenty of knowledge about how to make great wine here and a stock of old vines with which to do it. The vines for the young Albariño Lagar de Pintos average 40 years of age! You’ll find a variety of other interpretations of Albariño here. Edición Los Nietos ages nearly 4 years in stainless steel, while 3000 Cepas comes from very old vines and ages in barrel. Lagar de Pintos shows the power of old vines Albariño and long aging to produce very fine whites.
Palacio de Fefiñanes
The Fefiñanes Palace occupies half of the main square of the seaside village of Cambados, the most important wine town in Rías Baixas. Part of the beautiful 17th century estate is home to the Palacio de Fefiñanes winery, which still belongs to a branch of the noble family who built the palace. Fefiñanes is one of the oldest and most storied producers of Albariño. The fresh young Albariño de Fefiñanes is bottled with the same label as in its first vintage in 1928. It ferments in stainless steel today, and is bottled shortly after fermentation finishes, yielding a top quality “vino del año” style. Fefiñanes helped pioneer the aging of Albariño in barrel with 1583, a rounder, fuller wine that exemplifies the versatility of the grape. The most famous wine from this producer is surely the III Año, a stunningly complex example of aged and ageworthy Albariño that spends over two years aging on its lees in stainless steel before release. Between its beautiful location and top quality wines, Palacio de Fefiñanes is a must for any wine lover visiting the Rías Baixas.
Pazo de Señorans
Housed in a beautifully restored 14th century palace surrounded by gardens and vineyards, Pazo de Señorans is an enchanting place. The property was bought in the 1970s by Marisol Bueno, who would become the first president of the Rías Baixas Regulatory Board. Marisol and her family restored the property and planted vineyards there before they began making wine in the 1980s. The wines of Pazo de Señorans have risen to become some of the most famous and sought-after Albariños in the world. You’ll only find stainless steel in the winery, to allow the grape to shine through. The young Pazo Señorans Albariño is a textbook example, often used around the world to train sommeliers. The house specialty, however, is long-aged Albariño. Collección comes from the same vineyards as the young wine, but spends three years aging in bottle as proof of the aging potential of a wine with just five months on its lees. The flagship is Selección de Añada, sourced from a single vineyard and aged for nearly three years on its lees and years more in bottle before release. Many consider Selección to be one of the finest white wines in Galicia and all of Spain. Pazo de Señorans is also a boutique producer of orujo, a Galician spirit made from grape skins and seeds similar to Italian grappa. Seeing the traditional pot stills that are still used here is like stepping back in time. Both the unflavored Orujo and the herb-infused Aguardiente de Hierbas are among the best in the region and worth trying. Pazo de Señorans is one of the best Albariño producers and a stunning place to discover the aging potential of Galicia’s favorite white grape.
Zárate
Zárate is one of the most exciting and expressive producers in Rías Baixas. The winery was a pioneer in the production of quality Albariños all the way back in the 1950s, but the current image of the winery is tied to the current proprietors Eulogio Pomares and Rebecca Zárate. Under their leadership Zárate has established itself as a producer of some of the finest wines in the whole region. Old vines planted on granite and sand soils are Zárate’s prize possession. No herbicides are used in these vineyards, and the winemaking is focused on expressing each vineyard’s character. You’ll find a selection of excellent Albariños here, from young and bright to deep and ageworthy that are truly world-class white wines. Zárate is also involved in the revival of red wines from the Rías Baixas region, making several small production reds from rare indigenous grapes like Caíño and Espadeiro that epitomize the fresh, light style of the region at its best. Don't miss the artisan orujo, traditional Galician grappa.