Since his first vintage in 2001, Javier Dominguez’s Dominio do Bibei has been widely acknowledged as the driving force behind the emergence of quality wines in Spain’s historic Ribeira Sacra.

The Romans were the first to cultivate in the region, travelling to the area to mine gold and utilising the labour of slaves to construct numerous terraces across the jagged hillsides of the Sil, Miño and Bibei rivers. Subsequently, pastors farmed and tended to the vineyards for centuries, lending the area its monicker of ‘sacred riverbanks’. However, destruction from the phylloxera virus, economic ruin and civil conflict caused the local folks to migrate away from Ribeira Sacra in search of a more prosperous life.

In the late 1990s, Javier Dominguez was among an influx of young winemakers attracted by the region’s old vines and untouched, Jurassic landscape. He has worked tirelessly to revive the region and its indigenous vines, undertaking what is known locally as ‘heroic viticulture’.

Vines are cultivated from mighty heights of 200 to 700 metres amid a sweeping, north-facing hillside dotted with schist, granite, slate, quartz and iron. Dominio do Bibei's commitment to crafting vintages of fine acidity is guaranteed thanks to the grapes sourced from bordering-but-not-south-facing vineyards, complemented by a temperate Atlantic climate providing 700mm of rainfall every year, most of which falls in winter and spring, leaving summer and autumn drier with an expansive diurnal range.

Tasting Note: Savoury and small berry notes, complemented by a hint of cinnamon and smoky aromatics. Its vibrancy and spiciness is accentuated further by its purple hues and herbaceousness, along with its juicy palate that is imbued with granite-rich soil and a lusciously spiced zest. The red fruit dominates the strikingly vigorous finish, with a scent of highly fragranced fruit and a profusion of herbs and balsamic essences.

Origin: Galicia, Spain

Blend: Mencia, Mouraton, Garnacha Tintorera