Rías Baixas (ree-ahs-buy-shuss) is the most important Denomination of Origin (DO) in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain. The DO was formally established in 1988 and owes its acclaim to the white Albariño (al-ba-ree-nyo) grape. It is the only exclusively white wine DO in Spain.

The term Rías Baixas refers to the lower estuaries – deep, wide inlets of water encroaching many miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean.   Visitors to “Green Spain” might mistake the area for Ireland because of its lush terrain and cool, damp climate. Like the rest of Spain, however, the region also receives ample sunshine – over 2,200 hours per year.

Rías Baixas is comprised of five different subzones with varying terroir.

Val do Salnés:  Located along the Atlantic coast, the oldest and largest subzone with the most area under vine is also the coolest and wettest, with an average temperature of 55°F.  Soils are granite and slate. Wines from this subzone tend to have slightly higher acidity and more powerful aromatics.

Condado do Tea:  The second largest subzone and the most inland, has a warmer and drier climate with an average temperature of 59° F that can reach 100°F in summer.  Wines tend to be earthier and slightly less fruity given the slate component in the soils.

O Rosal:  On the border of Portugal, wines from this subzone often blend Albariño with the Loureiro and Treixadura grapes.  Vineyards with granite bedrock and alluvial topsoil are terraced along the Miño River vineyards. Wines tend to be rounder and softer with a peachier style.

Ribeira do Ulla: The newest Rías Baixas subzone located inland and southeast of Santiago de Compostela has vineyards composed mostly of alluvial soil.

Soutomaior:  The smallest of all the subzones, it is nestled among the hills at the head of the Vigo River with light and sandy soil

The numbers: There are approximately 9,138 acres under vine with more than 6,618 growers and almost 20,000 individual vineyard plots ranging from 330 feet to 985 feet in altitude. There are 12 permitted grapes varieties but Albariño accounts for 90% of plantings in the region.