2021 vintage in the D.O. Ribeira Sacra is VERY GOOD

---

The tasting panel evaluated 10 references, representative of the 5 sub-areas (Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Miño and Ribeiras do Sil), tasting samples from small and large wineries, and samples from storage and already on the market, in order to have a diverse range, with the aim of determining an average quality of the wines, which turned out to be VERY GOOD, with a score of 7.6.

They were part of the tasting panel, which met in the Amandi sub-area, at the Áurea Palacio de Sober Hotel:

• Alfonso Losada Quiroga, Expert in viticulture and oenology
• José Ramón Montilla Cortizo, Gallaecia Sommeliers Association Representative
• Maira Ratón Fernández, Galician Association of Oenologists Representative
• Mercedes González Rodríguez, President of Vitislucus-Sensory Analysis and Wine Tourism Experts. Gastronomic Advice MEmbajadora
• José María Martínez Alonso, Tasting Panel Member of the C.R.D.O.R.S.
• Oscar González Rizo, Tasting Panel Member of the C.R.D.O.R.S.
• Juan Ángel Fernández Martínez, Tasting Panel Member of the C.R.D.O.R.S.
• Pepe Seoane, journalist
• Ana Fernández González,Representative of the Galician Quality Agency (AGACAL)
• Ana Mª Martín Abild, Sommelier and Dipwset

D.O. Ribeira Sacra held the last qualifying tasting of the last harvest in February 2020, in 2021 there was a break due to the pandemic and this year it recovered to the satisfaction of the organization, tasters and consumers, since these tastings guide the consumer about quality of the wines that are going to be found in the market. The first qualifying tasting was held in 1996, with a "GOOD" result. Since then, all the ratings were “VERY GOOD”, and in 2000/01, 2017/18 and 2018/19 it was “EXCELLENT”.

The gastronomic advisor, Mercedes González Rodríguez, showed her joy at recovering this type of event that tells professionals where the wines are going to go in the market, “you see the potential that we are going to find in a few months when we start the tastings for the awards, it's a way to settle down and catch up. I find the wines that we tasted today to be very balanced in alcohol and acidity, honestly, we return to those wines that are not heavy to drink. That freshness that invites us to repeat, the care of the vineyards is also becoming more noticeable because they are becoming stronger in character. Some very promising wines, with a long journey, with people betting on plot wines, estate wines. I think there is very good material to work with.”

The sommelier, Ana Mª Martín Abild, who arrived from the Canary Islands, highlighted the wines, “Very good, very representative in terms of the territory of the Ribeira Sacra. It was a complicated year in terms of viticulture and weather, but very good overall. Almost 10 years ago I also participated in the qualification tasting and you see that here it is not only the wine, but everything that it generates around it, hospitality infrastructure, restaurants, many more wine brands on the market and Ribeira Sacra is already known in many places in Spain, I see that evolution in these years.”