Oenological Tourism in Galicia

We all enjoy travelling and discovering new places. However, tourism has evolved in an increasingly cosmopolitan world, and now people are not just looking for sun and beach, or simply visiting a city. We need experiences, learning, to live the destination from within. Therefore, more and more people are opting for wine tourism, but what does this booming type of tourism really consist of?

Wine tourism is a type oftourism focusedon trips to wine production areas in an organised manner, with the intention of getting to know and share experiences around Wine Culture.

Wine tourism is not only for wine lovers. Even if you know nothing about this product or even if you don't like drinking it, wine tourism is a sensory experience. You can visit a vineyard and discover its magnificent landscapes, learn about the process of grape stomping, and experience the work necessary to obtain this delicious treat.

Because wine production is linked to wineries and vineyards, these experiences are closely related to rural culture, nature, and gastronomy.

And what better place to enjoy these three things than Galicia. Wine is so intertwined with the landscapes and lifestyle of this autonomous community that it is almost impossible to separate them.

Legends date the origins of this relationship back to Roman times, also passing through the monks of the Cistercian order until today, when DNA studies finally reveal that Albariño is a 100% indigenous variety of Galicia.Like all crops, this vine spread, mixed, adapted, and was selected over centuries.

But although Albariños are the most well-known wines of Galicia, the community actually hasfivedenominations of origin: Rías Baixas,Ribeira Sacra,Ribeiro, Monterrei, andValdeorras. In this article, we will focus on the first three.

RIBEIRO

TheDenomination of OriginRibeiro, which means riverbank, is located along theMiño Riverand itstributaries, with the municipality of Ribadavia as its central hub. It is the oldest Denomination of Origin in Galicia and one of the historic ones in Europe, being the second most renowned in Spain.Few areas in Europe have the viticultural history and cultural significance that Ribeiro possesses, having been a commercial and viticultural phenomenon for over 1,000 years. Since the 9th century, the wines of Ribadavia and Ourense have been present on the tables of kings and nobles of Europe, especially in England and Spain. From the 14th to the 16th century, Ribeiro wine was abundantly exported toEngland, Flanders, andItaly.After the Civil War, vineyards were abandoned in favor of other varieties such as Palomino and Alicante, focusing on large volumes but low quality in these regions. In the early 21st century, the indigenous varieties of Ribeiro have become predominant again, beginning to stand out as the Galician wine with the most potential in terms of quality.

To discover it if you only have a few days, we suggest the following small but great trips:

In the you can visit a D.O Ribeiro winery and also enjoy the most important natural thermal baths in the province ofOurense, the Outariz Thermal Baths and the Prexigueiro Thermal Baths.

The is ideal for couples as it includesall the romantic ingredients you needso you only have to worry aboutenjoying your stay and company. It also includesa visit to one of Spain's best wineries, known for having dedicated all its effort to the recovery of a wide variety of Galicia's historic grapes.

If you have more time and prefer to undertake a more comprehensive experience, we propose the following options:

In the Get in Galicia has created a very comprehensive itinerary to make the most of your days, where you can visit, among many other places, the Monastery of Oseira, Allariz, Ribadavia, the Sil Canyon, and Monforte de Lemos.

To add a touch more magic to this circuit, nothing better than staying in unique accommodations such as Paradores, Pazos, Spas, among others. For this, Get in Galicia offers the .

And as the last option for this tour, if you are looking for a way to travel with all the safety and in the most comfortable way, theis made for you.

RIBEIRA SACRA

This denomination is of recent creation, although historically its wines were highlyvaluedqualitatively, especially the reds, which still enjoy a great tradition today. Itsproduction areaextends under the protection of the banks of the Miño and Sil rivers, creating a microclimatethat, together with the southern orientation of the steep slopes where the vineyards are located, favours the correct ripening that the grapes need to produce wines that were already described in Roman times as Liquid Gold of the Sil.This wine has a great peculiarity, the"heroic viticulture"which requires farmers to work on very steep slopes.

Ribeira Sacra was recognised as adenomination of originin1996and is the only wine region in Galicia dominated by the production ofred wine. Most of the wine produced here is made fromMencía grapeswith a limited production of white wine made fromGodelloandAlbariño.

If you wish to discover this hidden treasure of Galicia and the only Spanish candidate that will be shortlisted in 2021 to become part of the UNESCO World Heritage, we suggest three possibilities for all travellers:

With theyou can enjoy a wonderful catamaran ride on the Sil Riverthat traverses the Sil Canyons and visit one of the most important D.O. Ribeira Sacrawineries in the area.

For travellers who have the opportunity to undertake a longer stay, we recommend:

The , a private gastronomic and cultural circuit where we will explore the city and monuments of Santiago de Compostela, as well as Ribeira Sacra, while tasting the best products that this wonderful land has to offer.

RÍAS BAIXAS

The Rías Baixas is one of the most popular regions in Galicia, and its white wine is rated as one of the best in the world.Thewhite varietyAlbariño is indigenous to Galicia, and its history dates back to the 12th century. This grape occupies most of the vineyard area in the zone that comprises theD.O. Rías Baixas. As happened with Ribeiro at the beginning of the 20th century, many vineyards were replanted with other varieties or hybrids, but since the 1970s, growers have begun to replant native varieties such as Albariño, maintaining the production of their low plantings to produce a fragrant and fruity wine.

To learn more about this Denomination of Origin in this beautiful comarca, it is possible to take a getaway through the area, for which we recommend three possibilities according to your preferences:

The consists of a journey through differentpazos in Galiciaon theCamellia Routeto learn about the area's history, its monuments, and its people. In this way, in addition to admiring the beauty and history of these beautiful places, we can also delight ourselves with thedenomination of origin winesproduced there.

Theis designed to discover these beautiful Galician buildings and explore all the ways they can be enjoyed today, among which stands out their use as wineries. It features exceptional vineyardsrenowned in national wine tourism.