Rías Baixas
Discover the versatility of Albariño from Rías Baixas. Spain’s current popularity as the culinary hub of innovative gastronomy has opened the door for a new generation of food and wine lovers to discover Rías Baixas Albariño wines.
Rías Baixas is the most important Denomination of Origin (D.O) in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain. The D.O was formally established in 1988 and owes much of its acclaim to the white Albariño grape, which has been elevated by many in Spain and abroad to cult status.
The history of the D.O dates back to 1980, when an official denomination was created specifically for the Albariño grape variety. When Spain entered the European Union (EU) in 1986, however, the denomination was changed to Rías Baixas because EU wine laws did not recognize a D.O named for a single grape variety. Since 1988, the D.O has complied with all Spanish and EU wine regulations. The Rías Baixas D.O is regulated by the Consejo Regulador (local governing body) which ensures adherence to permitted grape varieties, viticultural practices, winemaking and aging procedures.
Location and climate: A beautiful green area, Rίas Baixas has been likened to a vision of the Garden of Eden. This lush land is characterized by rίas – deep, wide inlets of water encroaching many miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. The southern group of these rίas is known as Rίas Baixas (the lower estuaries).
Rίas Baixas vineyards are all located within the province of Pontevedra in Galicia. There are 8,650 acres under vine with more than 6,500 growers and almost 20,000 individual vineyard plots ranging from 330 feet to 985 feet in altitude. Almost 100% of the wine produced in the region bears the D.O designation. The cool, damp climate is dominated by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean; however, there are varying micro-climates within the five different designated sub-zones of the region.
