Valdeorras (wine region)

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Valdeorras (Spanish: Golden Valley) is a Spanish wine-growing region in the north-western region of Galicia and is located near the Portuguese border. Around 1,330 hectares of planted vineyards at altitudes between 200 and 300  msnm are located in a U-shaped area on both sides of the river Sil and its tributaries Xares, Bibei, Cigüeño and Casayo around El Barco de Valdeorras in the northwest of the province of Ourense . In the valley of the Sil and its tributaries, mostly fertile alluvial land predominates, in the rest of the area you can find poor, medium-deep soils on schisty or chalky subsoil.

The main cultivation areas are distributed among the villages of El Barco de Valdeorras (192 hectares), Larouco (240 hectares), A Rúa (252 hectares), Vilamartín (212 hectares), Petín (128 hectares), Rubiá (153 hectares), Carballeda (14 hectares ) and O Bolo (120 hectares). The maximum yield per hectare is 56–70 hectoliters / hectare, depending on the location.

The area has had DO status since July 1957. The regulations are generally closely monitored. In the 2003 vintage, almost 50% of the harvested amount was not approved for the appellation.

See also the article Viticulture in Spain .

climate

Valdeorras is the warmest and driest zone in Galicia, with an Atlantic climate, which is strongly influenced by the continental inland climate. The annual average temperature is 11 ° C, and the average rainfall here is between 800 and 1000 mm per year. The average sunshine duration is 2700 hours / year.

Wines

All types of wine are permitted within the wine-growing region . The area achieved international fame for the white Godello grape variety , which had almost disappeared due to phylloxera . The sparkling white wines of this rare variety have been rediscovered here. Other white varieties are Palomino and Doña Blanca . The Palomino variety is the most widely grown variety.

The red wines are mainly made from the Mencía variety and sometimes also blended with Garnacha , Cabernet Sauvignon , Gran Negro and Merenzao (also called María Ardoña). Since 2003 the grape varieties Albarello , Tempranillo and Negreda have also been approved.

As rootstock generally the variety is Rupestris de Lot used.

regulatory authority

Compliance with the production regulations is monitored by the local regulatory authority, Consejo Regulador.

  • Consejo Regulador DO Valdeorras
  • Ctra. Nacional 120, km 463
  • 32340 Vilamartin de Valdeorras / Ourense

Web links

literature

  • John Radford: The New Spain. A complete guide to contemporary Spanish Wine. Mitchell Beazley, London 1998, ISBN 1-85732-254-1 .
  • Jan Read: Spain's Wines 2005/06. 7th, revised, updated edition. Hallwag im Gräfe und Unzer Verlag, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-7742-6962-9 .
  • Jeremy Watson: The new & classical Wines of Spain. Montagud Editores, Barcelona 2002, ISBN 84-7212-087-2 .