Winemaker Notes
The vines for this wine are from around Arnoia, the same town as Luis' winery. The soils here are decomposed granite and sand. The fruit of the oldest and lowest yielding vines is used for the Escolma ('selection' in Gallego), from parcels on terraces on the steep hillsides above the Arnoia and Miño rivers.
Each of the many plots is harvested by hand, destemmed and fermented with native yeasts in used French oak barrels, then raised in the same vessels for 12 months on the fine lees. Bottled after gentle clarification with bentonite and mechanical filtration, with a small addition of SO2. Viña de Martin Escolma is aged in bottle for three years before release.
Mostly Treixadura with Lado, Albariño, and Torrontes.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Located in the central and southern part of the northwest Spanish region of Galicia, Ribeiro is experiencing a revival thanks to the distinctive wines they produce with native red and white grapes. White wine accounts for 85% of all production in the region with principal white grape varieties as Treixadura, Albariño, Godello, Torrontés and Loureira. Ribeiro’s red grape varieties are Caiño Longo, Caiño Tinto, Caiño Bravo, Ferrón, Sousón, Brancellao and Mencía. Ribeiro's red wines are not quite as popular their white counterparts. The region obtained DO status in 1932.
Immense innovation and investment are now evident throughout the DO, both in the large cooperatives and in the smaller bodegas. An interesting aspect of the area is that many small, independent producers called colleteiros, make wine traditionally from their own grapes.