ONLINE TASTING: Ribeira Sacra’s Adega Algueira with winemaker Fabio Gonzales

Ribeira Sacra in Galicia

The Romans first carved the Ribeira Sacra terraces (solcacos), over 2,000 years ago, into canyons and gorges so dizzyingly steep that it makes the hillsides of Côte-Rôtie look like nursery slopes. Over the centuries, monks and their many monasteries (hence the name Ribeira Sacra – ‘Sacred Riverbanks’) expanded and maintained the gigantic network of solcacos and vines along the rivers Sil, Miño and Bibei. At the end of the 19th century phylloxera followed by economic depression, civil war and dictatorship ruined Galicia. The younger generations fled the country and what took centuries of pain and suffering to build was abandoned in decades.

Adega Algueira

Fortunately, local heroes such as Adega Algueira’s Fernando González Riveiro are restoring some of these historical vineyards and painstakingly reclaiming their heritage. Fernando is an exceptional vine grower and was the first to believe in the true native grape varieties from the area: Merenzao (aka Trousseau), Brancellao, Sousón, Caiño etc. Since 1980 he has done what no one else has; searching, selecting, re-planting and trialling these grapes in different soils and expositions, vinifying them separately to understand which terroirs they’re best suited to, resulting in long-lived wines with an incredible mineral resonance. A true legacy.

Wines on Tasting:

• Finca Cortezada 2022 (40% Godello, 40% Albariño, 20% Treixadura)
• Escalada 2021 (Godello)
• Serradelo 2016 (Brancellao)
• Serradelo 2015 (Brancellao)
• Pizzara 2017 (Mencia)
• Pizzara 2015 (Mencia)
• Pizzara 2009 (Mencia)

ONLINE TASTING FEE STRUCTURE:

For this special two-hour tasting, an exclusive tasting kit is included in the listed price which includes a 50ml tasting sample of each wine. Note: Tasting kits will be despatched to attendees within the week leading up to the tasting. 

Tasting kit delivery can be made to anywhere within the UK only. At present we are unable to fullfill international orders.

DON'T WANT TO RECEIVE A TASTING KIT? We understand that not everyone will want to receive the wine samples, and would rather just register to participate in the online evening without the wines. That is absolutely fine! The fee to just register for this evening without receiving a tasting kit is £10. Just enter the promotional code: 70REGONLY when checking out to ensure you just pay the registration cost. 

Unable to commit on the evening? No problem! Anyone registered for this tasting will gain access to the video recording of the live event, so you can always revisit any of these at anytime in the future - whether its because you missed participating in the live evening or if you want to revisit the presentation at a later date.