SPAIN
Namorío
Valdamor is a family owned winery, founded in 1990, it is one of the first wineries of the Rías Baixas D.O. and it specializes exclusively in Albariño grape wines.
Rías Baixas is located in North West Spain, just above Portugal, in the region of Galicia, with Pontevedra as the largest town. Rías Baixas DO was founded in 1988 and it is the most important DO in Galicia and the only white wine only DO in Spain. There are 8 650 acres under vines, over 6 500 growers and 20 000 individual plots with 198 wineries, up from 60 only in 1990. Albariño covers 90% of the crop.
Because of the region’s rainfall and humidity, most vines are trained on a wire trellis called parra—similar to Italy’s pergola—frequently anchored by granite posts. These parras, approximately seven feet high, allow breezes to flow through for maximum circulation. This promotes even ripening and helps prevent mildew and other diseases. In the fall, ripened grape bunches form a ceiling-like canopy and are harvested by pickers standing on grape bins. Some of the larger vineyards are replacing the traditional parra canopy and using a European double cordon system called espaldera.
Albariño is a small, green, thick-skinned variety, the grape resists fungal disease in the particularly damp climate of Rίas Baixas. It is a low yielding variety and expensive to cultivate. It is also one of the few Spanish white grape varieties produced as a varietal wine on its own and designated on labels.
Valdamor is located within the sub-region of Val do Salnés; this is the original and oldest sub-zone with the most area under vines and the highest concentration of wineries. Located on the Atlantic coast, it surrounds the historic town of Cambados. The Soil is granitic and rocky with alluvial top-soil. It is also the coolest and wettest sub-zone with an average temperature of 55ºF, this is due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. Val do Salnés is the birth place of Albariño.
The philosophy of Valdamor winery is based on trying to integrate the traditional work in the vineyard while using modern techniques for the vinification process, this to capture the authentic character of the Albariño grape. Namorío is one of Valdamor's best examples of Albariño.