Ribeira Sacra DO
Ribeira Sacra grape varieties
These are the grape varieties allowed by the Designation of Origin. Tap each one to learn what it is like and where it is grown.
Red
Mencía ▾
The great red grape of Ribeira Sacra and by far the most widely planted. It makes violet-hued wines with red and black fruit, floral and mineral notes, fresh acidity and soft tannins. It is grown in every subzone, on the socalcos (terraces) that drop down to the Sil and Miño rivers, and is the backbone of most of the appellation's reds.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (50): A Man de Prado, Abadía da Cova, Aborixe, Adega Algueira, Adega Cachín, Adega do Mollón, Adega Ponte da Boga, Adega Saiñas, Adega Tear, Adega Vella Xeracións, Adegas e Viñedos Lareu, Adegas e Viñedos Vía Romana, Adegas Guimaro, Albarduxe, Alma das Donas, Alouviño, Amedo, Araceli Vázquez Rodíguez, Atrium Vitis, Bodega Losada Fernández, Bodega Ribada, Bodega Soutelo, Bodegas Costoya, Bodegas de Rectoral de Amandi, Bodegas de Santa María de Nogueira, Bodegas Petrón, Cabo do Mundo, Casa Moreiras, D´Fran, Dominio do Bibei, Don Bernardino, ED V 2015, Envínate, Finca y Bodega A Figueira, Fructuoso-Hobbs, Grupo Peago, Leirabella, Marcelino Tierra y Vinos, Os Pacios, Pazo de la Cuesta, Pilares de Belesar, Pincelo, Rabelas Renovables, Regina Viarum, Régoa, Ronsel do Sil, S.A.T. Virxen dos Remedios 837 XUGA, Spanish Wines by Carlos Rodríguez, Teijeiro Lemos, Viñas de Belesar
Brancellao ▾
A native Galician red grape, also known as Albarello. It is a minority variety found mainly in old vineyards, interplanted with Mencía. It gives pale, light and elegant wines with red berry and spice aromas. More and more wineries are reviving it for blends and, occasionally, single-variety reds.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (16): Abadía da Cova, Aborixe, Adega Algueira, Adega Cachín, Adega Ponte da Boga, Adegas e Viñedos Vía Romana, Atrium Vitis, Bodega Losada Fernández, Bodegas Costoya, Dominio do Bibei, Envínate, Pazo de la Cuesta, Regina Viarum, Régoa, S.A.T. Virxen dos Remedios 837 XUGA, Val de Quiroga
Merenzao ▾
A very rare native red grape, the same variety as Trousseau from the French Jura or Bastardo in Portugal. Its wines are light in colour, delicate and aromatic, with fresh red fruit. It grows in small plots of old vines and is used mainly to add finesse to red blends.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (8): Abadía da Cova, Adega Algueira, Adega Ponte da Boga, Adega Vella Xeracións, Adegas e Viñedos Vía Romana, Bodegas Costoya, Ronsel do Sil, Viñas de Belesar
Sousón ▾
A native Galician red grape with very deep colour, high acidity and black fruit aromas. It is planted in small proportions and, in Ribeira Sacra, used mostly in blends to give colour, freshness and structure to Mencía-based reds.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (8): Aborixe, Adega Algueira, Adega Ponte da Boga, Dominio do Bibei, Envínate, Leirabella, Regina Viarum, Viñas de Belesar
Caíño Tinto ▾
A late-ripening native red grape that needs warm, well-exposed plots to ripen. It brings acidity, fruit aromas and herbal, spicy notes. It is a minority variety found in some vineyards on the sunniest slopes, almost always in blends.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (6): Adega Algueira, Dominio do Bibei, Envínate, Régoa, Ronsel do Sil, Viñas de Belesar
Garnacha Tintureira ▾
A red grape with coloured flesh (also known as Alicante Bouschet), long present in the traditional vineyards of the area. It gives deeply coloured, full-bodied wines and is therefore used mainly in blends with Mencía. It is common in old vineyards in several subzones.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (20): Aborixe, Adega Algueira, Adega do Mollón, Adega Tear, Adegas e Viñedos Lareu, Alouviño, Amedo, Bodega Losada Fernández, Bodegas de Santa María de Nogueira, Dominio do Bibei, Envínate, Finca y Bodega A Figueira, Fructuoso-Hobbs, Leirabella, Marcelino Tierra y Vinos, Os Pacios, Pazo de la Cuesta, Ronsel do Sil, S.A.T. Virxen dos Remedios 837 XUGA, Viñas de Belesar
Tempranillo ▾
An early-ripening red grape, known in Galicia as Arauxa. In Ribeira Sacra it is a minority variety, found in some vineyards alongside other grapes. It adds red fruit, body and roundness to red blends.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (7): Abadía da Cova, Adega Tear, Amedo, Leirabella, Marcelino Tierra y Vinos, Pazo de la Cuesta, Regina Viarum
Mouratón ▾
A very rare native red grape (the same variety as Juan García from Arribes). It makes deeply coloured wines with a rustic character. It survives mainly in old vineyards and in small quantities, and some wineries are reviving it for their red blends.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (3): Adega Vella Xeracións, Dominio do Bibei, Envínate
White
Godello ▾
The main white grape of Ribeira Sacra. It makes full-bodied, well-structured wines with white and stone fruit aromas, herbal notes and a mineral backbone, and it suits ageing on the lees. It is grown across the subzones, often in the coolest plots.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (29): Abadía da Cova, Adega Algueira, Adega Cachín, Adega do Mollón, Adega Ponte da Boga, Adega Tear, Adega Vella Xeracións, Adegas e Viñedos Lareu, Adegas e Viñedos Vía Romana, Adegas Guimaro, Alma das Donas, Alouviño, Amedo, Bodegas Costoya, Cabo do Mundo, Casa Moreiras, Dominio do Bibei, ED V 2015, Fructuoso-Hobbs, Grupo Peago, Os Pacios, Pazo de la Cuesta, Pilares de Belesar, Regina Viarum, Ronsel do Sil, S.A.T. Virxen dos Remedios 837 XUGA, Teijeiro Lemos, Val de Quiroga, Viñas de Belesar
Albariño ▾
A very aromatic Galician white grape with fruit, floral notes and lively acidity. In Ribeira Sacra it is planted in smaller proportions than Godello and used in single-variety or blended whites.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (17): Abadía da Cova, Adega Algueira, Adega Cachín, Adega do Mollón, Adega Ponte da Boga, Adega Vella Xeracións, Alouviño, Amedo, Atrium Vitis, Bodegas Costoya, Casa Moreiras, Dominio do Bibei, Os Pacios, Pazo de la Cuesta, Rabelas Renovables, S.A.T. Virxen dos Remedios 837 XUGA, Val de Quiroga
Treixadura ▾
A native Galician white grape with apple, ripe fruit and floral aromas and moderate acidity. It is common in Ribeira Sacra white blends, together with Godello and Albariño.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (21): Adega Algueira, Adega Cachín, Adega do Mollón, Adega Ponte da Boga, Adega Vella Xeracións, Adegas e Viñedos Lareu, Alouviño, Amedo, Atrium Vitis, Bodegas Costoya, Cabo do Mundo, Dominio do Bibei, ED V 2015, Grupo Peago, Os Pacios, Pazo de la Cuesta, Rabelas Renovables, Regina Viarum, Ronsel do Sil, S.A.T. Virxen dos Remedios 837 XUGA, Val de Quiroga
Loureira ▾
A very aromatic Galician white grape whose notes recall bay laurel (hence its name), flowers and citrus. In Ribeira Sacra it is a minority variety, used mainly to add aroma to white blends.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Amandi, Quiroga-Bibei
Wineries that grow it (4): Alouviño, Atrium Vitis, Pazo de la Cuesta, Val de Quiroga
Dona Branca ▾
A rare native white grape with gentle aromas that adds body and a rounded texture. It survives in traditional vineyards and is used in white blends.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (4): Adega Ponte da Boga, Bodegas Costoya, Dominio do Bibei, Ronsel do Sil
Torrontés ▾
A Galician white grape (not the same as Argentine Torrontés), aromatic and with good acidity. It is a minority variety in Ribeira Sacra, found in some vineyards and white blends.
Where it is grown
Subzones: Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil
Wineries that grow it (4): Amedo, Bodegas Costoya, S.A.T. Virxen dos Remedios 837 XUGA, Val de Quiroga
The wineries listed for each variety come from the data each winery provides on this site.