Ribeira Sacra: what heroic viticulture really means
By Alfred Widmer
Gradients above 30 percent, terraces built by the Romans, 25 hectares spread over 86 parcels: what heroic viticulture in the Ribeira Sacra actually involves, and how it tastes.
Bobal, the native grape of Utiel-Requena in Valencia, is experiencing a renaissance after decades in the shadows. Once valued mainly for blending, it is now producing elegant, terroir-driven wines with bright acidity, firm tannins, and notes of wild herbs, red and blue fruit—thanks to dedicated producers like Vera de Estenas, Pago de Tharsys, and Bodega y Viñedos Carres. Resilient old vines, unique high-altitude terroirs, and modern winemaking are putting Bobal firmly on the list of Spain’s most exciting varieties to watch.
Ribeira Sacra: what heroic viticulture really means
By Alfred Widmer
Gradients above 30 percent, terraces built by the Romans, 25 hectares spread over 86 parcels: what heroic viticulture in the Ribeira Sacra actually involves, and how it tastes.
Bobal, the native grape of Utiel-Requena in Valencia, is experiencing a renaissance after decades in the shadows. Once valued mainly for blending, it is now producing elegant, terroir-driven wines with bright acidity, firm tannins, and notes of wild herbs, red and blue fruit—thanks to dedicated producers like Vera de Estenas, Pago de Tharsys, and Bodega y Viñedos Carres. Resilient old vines, unique high-altitude terroirs, and modern winemaking are putting Bobal firmly on the list of Spain’s most exciting varieties to watch.
