Ronsel do Sil is the project of one of Spain's first female winemakers, María José Yravedras. She is regarded as a pioneer in a wine world dominated by men. It has since become a family project: her husband Felipe Pérez-Somarriba and their two daughters all support María José. Everyone contributes their part, and every bit of support is valued to carry forward the vision and spirit of the original bodega.
After countless winding roads, one arrives at the winery, which lies at the bottom of steep slopes with a breathtaking view of the Rio Sil and the vineyards of the Amandi zone on the opposite side. The vineyards of Ronsel do Sil belong to the D.O. Ribeira Sacra and are located in the subzones of Ribas do Sil and Val do Bibei. This historically significant region with its Atlantic character is renowned for its heroic viticulture on traditional stone terraces. Because of the steep slopes and difficult-to-access locations, viticulture here is extremely labor-intensive, as the use of machinery is impossible. The name “Ronsel,” which describes the wake of a passing boat, symbolizes the winery’s aim to leave a sustainable and passionate mark on the wine and cultural landscape of the region.
The original old winery was restored and reactivated in 2010 by María José and Felipe. As both oenologists and architects, María José Yravedra and Felipe Somarriba designed the winery so that winemaking is carried out exclusively by gravity, maximizing the quality of Ribeira Sacra wines. With ten hectares of vineyard area, the entire harvest is done by hand on the terraced vineyards typical of the region.
María José Yravedra follows a clear philosophy for the winery: “In a time when everything is digitized and automated, we rely on natural processes with minimal intervention. Each bottle of Ronsel do Sil is a tribute to the landscape, a small work of art intended to evoke emotion and foster a deeply rooted reflection on climate. The collection of ancient grape varieties of Ribeira Sacra requires great dedication and inspires us to explore the essence of the unknown and to appreciate it in the present. Working daily with nature is a continuous learning process – although extremely demanding, it is rewarding in every way.”
Location and soils The Bodega Ronsel do Sil is situated in the heart of the Ribeira Sacra, surrounded by spectacular nature near the small village of Sacardebois and close to the Parador de Santo Estevo and the Santa Cristina monastery. The vineyard soils consist mainly of slate and granite.
Vines The estate produces wines from autochthonous white grape varieties such as Godello, Dona Branca and Treixadura, as well as red varieties such as Mencía, Merenzao, Brancellao and Caíño. A rosé wine is also produced.
Climate The climate in the Ribeira Sacra is a temperate Atlantic microclimate, characterised by mild winters, warm summers and significant temperature variations between day and night, which promotes aroma development and lends the wines freshness and balance.
The white wines at Ronsel do Sil are gently pressed, often with stems, without destemming, and fermentation occurs spontaneously with native yeasts at controlled temperatures of around 17–19°C. They frequently age on their fine lees in stainless steel tanks or wooden barrels, without filtration or clarification, in order to preserve their natural character. For red wines, the grapes are usually fully destemmed and also fermented spontaneously with native yeasts. During fermentation, either the remontado method (pumping over) or gentle bazucado (punching down the cap) is used. After fermentation, the wines are naturally clarified without using press wine, and then aged, depending on the style, in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels.
Sustainable and biodynamic practices: The winery relies on natural farming and biodynamic principles, including manual soil cultivation, composting with broom shrubs, and the use of sheep for natural vineyard management. In the cellar, a gravity-flow system is used instead of pumps to move the wine gently. Ageing takes place in old wooden barrels and concrete tanks, with minimal use of sulfur, to highlight the character of the native grape varieties.
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