Guimaro, Mencia , Ribeira Sacra, Spain

The young and ambitious Pedro Rodriguez descends from a long line of colleteiros working in the Amandi area, Ribeira Sacra’s most prime subzone with south facing vineyards planted on slate just above the river Sil. His parents Manolo and Carmen still work the vineyards daily alongside him. The family also maintains a small finca of mixed agriculture, raising chickens, rabbits, pigs, and cultivating a sizable vegetable patch. The culmination of the family’s agrarian traditions manifested with the establishment of their adega in 1991. They named their winery after Pedro’s grandfather, who’s nickname “Guímaro” means rebel in their local dialect. Ribeira Sacra means “Sacred Banks” in Gallego, the local Galician dialect that splits the difference between Spanish and Portuguese. The Romans came to this green, northwest corner of Iberia some 2,000 years ago and were the first to terrace the slopes and plant vines in Ribeira Sacra. Historically, the most famous Galician wines come from the Amandi area, the area that runs along the river Sil with the steepest south facing vineyards, planted on predominately slate and schiste soils. Camiño Real is from 6 hectares of parcels around Amandi planted primarily to Mencía, along with other native Galician varieties. All of the grapes were handharvested together and spontaneously fermented in open-top oak vats with a 40 day maceration. Half of the wine was raised 7 months in foudre and 4 months in used 225 & 500L French barrels, and the other half raised 7 months in barrels and 4 months in foudre. The finished wine was bottled without fining or filtration.