Green Spain

Green Spain, as its name might suggest, is exceptionally lush and verdant. This cool, rainy part of the country stretches from Galicia in the northwest, just above Portugal, along the northern coast to Basque Country. The region’s mild maritime climate predisposes it to white grapes, but red grapes also succeed inland, where temperatures begin to warm.

Albariño is the primary white grape of Galicia, where it has made a name in Rías Baixas DO for its fresh, minerally, aromatic wines. Other white grapes include Godello and Treixadura, which may be blended into Rías Baixas wines or bottled as varietal wines in DOs like Ribeiro, Monterrei, and Valdeorras. The dramatic slopes of Ribeira Sacra DO showcase Galicia’s most promising red grape: Mencía, which makes fresh reds with berry flavors, floral tones, and plenty of acidity. Nearby Bierzo DO also makes serious Mencía wines.

Txakoli Primo 2024 Txakolina $15 - Txakoli Primo is situated in the coastal Basque town of Zarautz, located in the province of Gipuzkoa, within Spain’s autonomous Basque Country. This spritzy Basque white that's light in body and braced by lemony acidity. Lemon, lime, white grapefruit and green-apple flavors finish tangy and juicy.

Raul Perez “Ultreia” Bierzo 2022 $24 - From legendary winemaker, Raul Perez, this Mencia is filled with bright red and blue fruits , medium tannins and vibrant acidity. This Mencia-dominant wine also has small amounts of Trousseau, Garnacha and Palomino blended from cuttings planted over the years from pilgrims hiking the Camino de Santiago trail.

Bodega Luzdivina 2022 Viñademoya Beirzo $19 - 100% Mencia. Bright and vibrant, this wine shows the refreshing side of mencía, with firm, juicy red fruit boosted by mouthwatering acidity. Bierzo's schisty hillsides are palpable in its dark, deep minerality. 

Quinta da Muradella Candea Monterrei 2022 $25 - Mencia, Tempranillo (Arauxa), Garnacha Tintorera, Mouraton. Monterrei is one of Galicia’s newer Denominaciones de Origen, and it’s not yet very well-known outside of Spain. The wines of Quinta de Muradella, made by Jose Luís Mateo, are probably the best international ambassadors for this tiny region with just 27 wineries.

Quinta do Estranxeiro 2022 Ribeira Sacra Tinto $26 - The “O Estranxeiro” Tinto is mostly made from Mencía. Fruit is picked by hand and destemmed, and the juice is transferred to large chestnut barrels and concrete tanks before fermentation commences spontaneously with wild yeasts. The must typically spends around three weeks macerating before pressing, and the wine is then aged in a mix of Italian Gamba botti, Garbelotto botti, and concrete tanks for 6-12 months before bottling.

Bonus Wines

Zarate Albariño Rías Baixas 2024 $28 - The Zárate estate is an old one, founded in 1707, in the classic Val do Salnés zone. Formed by the lower reaches of the Umia River, its undulating slopes of Xabre—weathered granite—soil, and cool climate make Val do Salnés the region’s greatest terroir and home to its longest-lived wines.

Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Camino Real 2021 $32 - Cultivated since Roman times, Ribeira Sacra’s steep terraced vineyards are some of the most picturesque and treacherous to work in the world of wine – think of the Douro, Cote Rotie, or the Mosel. Like those most dramatic terruños, winegrowing here is not for the faint of heart; it takes spirited determination, eternal optimism, a sense of tradition, and a willingness to collaborate. 

Luis Rodriguez Ribeiro A Torna dos Pasas Tinto 2022 $57 - 40% Brancellao, and roughly equal parts Caiño Redondo, Caiño Longo, and Ferrol, vine age 10-20 years old, grown on steep south-facing granite hillsides located in the town of Arnoia, Galicia. Medium bodied, spicy and lush with dark floral aromas.