Now I understand why Julio Iglesias paid tribute to Galicia in his memorable hit song, “Un Canto a Galicia” in the 1980s. If you have never been to Spain,forget the popular cities and head for northwest Spain. My mission was to savor the wines from Rias Baixas, one of five distinct appellations christened denominacion de origen (D.O.) as recently as 1988. But I fell in love with the whole region, including the wine regions of Ribeiro, Ribeira Sacra, Valdeorras and Monterrei. I saw all but Rias Baixas at a distance. TurExpo, a local organization dedicated to promoting this emerald-colored region of Spain, had teamed with the national tourist office to invite journalists from China, Russia and the United States to experience Galicia through its annual travel expo. Unfortunately, our wine tour began in the midst of a deluge, which is not unusual in this part of Spain. Galicia’s lush green valleys and vine-covered hillsides conjure images of Ireland. Yet scenic, green landscapes and weather are not the only characteristics that set Galicia apart from the rest of Spain. Rias Baixas is on the west coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s where Galicia’s native grape, Albariño, flourishes. Rias Baixas means “low rivers or estuaries” in Gallego, the area’s native language. Rainfall in the region is so frequent-averaging more than 70 inches a year-that the grape practically grows itself. Consequently, the moist climate from north Atlantic winds is part of the reason Albariño wines are crisp and pleasantly acidy. Local winemakers pointed out that the mineral content of Galicia’s terruña, which means terroir, is evident in the zesty, white wines produced in this appellation. Speaking of appellation, Rias Baixas has five sub-zones along its priveleged Atlantic boundary. They are: O Rosal, Condado de Tea, Riberia do Ulla, Val do Salnes and Soutomaior, according to my itinerary. The late afternoon deluge made it impossible to visit more than one. Our first stop amid the torrential rains was Bodegas Martin Codax. The winery was started in 1985 by a local group of grape growers. Martin Codax takes its name from a famous medieval Gallego poet and troubadour. The winery is situated in the Salnes Valley, northwest of Pontevedra near the village of Cambados. In Europe, 26 years is young for a winery, considering some date to the middle ages. Nevertheless, with Luciano Amoedo at the helm, the winery rose quickly to international prominence. One reason for its meteoric rise may be the winemaker’s insistence on using only its own estate-grown grapes. Three years later, Amoedo led an effort to create Rias Baixas D.O. and promote Albariño wines on a worldwide scale. Since then, this giant and proud cooperative has emerged as a tour de force in wine circles around the globe. In fact, Martin Codax also makes traditional reds from the native Spanish Tempranillo grape. While its focus is not in neighboring Rioja, the winery has mined its vineyards. As a result, Martin Codax has garnered a respectable reputation for its fruit-filled reds as well. We took refuge from the continuous downpour at the impressive Bodegas Martin Codax winery. Interestingly, the vineyards are suspended above ground for their own protection from an abundance of rain, disease and varmints. We forgot about the dismal weather when we were handed a generous serving of a 2009 Martin Codax Albariño. Sipping this fresh-tasting Albariño, I felt as if I were being rewarded for forging ahead despite the inclement weather. A greenish-yellow hue gave way to aromas of apple and wet herbs. Bright and sparkling, it tickled my nose to the point that I wondered if this white wine was a cousin of cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. Wine Spectator, the bible of wine consumption, rated the 2009 vintage in the high 80s. Like other young wines, these white wines are intended to be consumed now, while fresh. They are not made to age gracefully into a ripe old age. Albariño is food-friendly and pairs well with seafood. Kissed by surreal topography and ocean minerals, Galicia seemed like the ideal place to try these wines. The contingent of television journalists from China and Russian didn’t speak English. But we found that our wineglass became an excellent communication device. That said, we raised our glass in a toast that finally brought us closer together. Our second tasting was a 2010 Albariño. On the nose, this wine had melon, apricot, grapefruit and lemon rind. It distinguished itself from the first only slightly, on the palate. It had a more crisp and zingy aftertaste. Wine Spectator gave this vintage 87 points on its rating system. Both the 2009 and 2010 wines retail from $15 to $17. These wines reminded me of Riesling. In fact,some say the “native” grape was brought to Galicia by German pilgrims on their journey to Santiago de Compostela. But most Gallegos reject this theory. The TurExpo committee and its dignitaries met us with much fanfare. In fact, the Cambados Chamber of Commerce and the mayor welcomed us to Galicia after our whirlwind tour of the wine region. We learned grape harvest time is in September. We heard an annual wine festival celebrates the grape and the white wines produced here. And we were encouraged to make this one of many trips to this area. The mayor wrapped up the welcoming speeches with an invitation to a formal reception so we could savor Galicia-style cuisine and wines. He offered a toast with-you guessed it- a glass of Albariño. For more information on Bodegas Martin Codax go to: www.martincodax.com For information on travel to Galicia go to: www.spain.info or call (305) 358-1992 Ext. 322.
