D.O. Ribeira Sacra

The Ribeira Sacra is one of Spain's most spectacularly beautiful vineyard areas. Its vines are planted in the steep valleys and precipitous gorges of the Rivers Miño and Sil as they wind through Galicia's lush green countryside. Spiced wines from Amandi, one of the DO's subzones, are legendarily said to have been shipped to classical Rome along with the lamprey from the River Miño to be served at emperors' tables. Today a new wave of investment in stainless-steel equipment and of controlled experiments in the bodega is producing excellent varietal whites as well as the big, aromatic reds for which the area was originally famed. However, even after consolidation via cooperatives, winemaking here remains extraordinarily artesanal, a reflection of the tiny landholding scale and farmhouse bodegas as well as traditional, virtually organic growing methods.

Since yields are low, these wines are searched-after and not easy to find on the export market.