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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.
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Fact file
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CRDO address:
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Comercio 6 - 8
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27400 Monforte de Lemos
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Lugo
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Spain
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DO established
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1997
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Last updated
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27 May 2009
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Telephone
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+34 982-410-968
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Fax
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+34 982-411-265
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E-mail
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info@ribeirasacra.org
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Website
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www.ribeirasacra.org
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Vineyards:
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Subzones
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Amanda, Chantada, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil, Quiroga-Bibei
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Area under vine
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1,228
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Altitude of vineyards
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-
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Soil types
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-
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Principal grapes (w)
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Albariño, Godello, Treixadura, Loureira,Torrontés, Dona Branca
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Principal grapes (r)
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Mencía, Merenzao, Brancellao
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Permitted grapes (w)
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-
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Permitted grapes (r)
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Garnacha, tempranillo, caiño tinto, sousón, mouraton
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Experimental grapes (w)
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-
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Experimental grapes (r)
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-
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Organic viticulture
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-
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Climate:
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Max. summer temp.
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-
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Min. Winter temp.
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-
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Average rainfall
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-
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Average sunshine
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-
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Production:
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Maximum crop
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White: 10,500 kg/ha
Red: 9,500 kg/ha except other permitted varietals: 11,500 kg/ha
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Yield
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-
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Equivalent hl/ha
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-
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Production 2006 (l)
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3,360,800
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Production 2007 (l)
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2,923,700
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Production 2008 (l)
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2,656,590
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Wine types:
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White
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min. 11º % vol
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Rosé
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-
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Red
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min. 11º% vol
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Other
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min.10º% vol
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Ageing in oak:
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Crianza
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-
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Reserva
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-
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Gran Reserva
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-
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Wineries:
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Number of Wineries
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98
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Total exports - 2006
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-
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Total exports - 2007
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133.00 hl
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Total exports - 2008
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-
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