Wednesday, August 31, 2011

13 wines of the D.O. Valdeorras distinguished by Sommeliers from Galicia

 Yesterday were made ​​public the awaited marks. These were provided by the Galician Association of Sommeliers "Gallaecia" which, after a double tasting in different D.O. in Galicia over the months of June, July and August, yesterday performed the final tasting where the winners recieved the distinguished Gallaecia 2011, an award recognized by the Ministry for Rural Affairs of Spain.

Out of the 21 wines that the D.O. Valdeorras selected in the initial tasting, held at the headquarters of the Regulatory Council of this D.O, 13 have been awarded. This has been a selection defined by the President of the Galician Association of Sommeliers, Mercedes Gonzalez, as "a very tight one", adding that "it was sad to leave some out, but you can not reward all them, as it would lose stringency".

 To highlight the professionalism and thoroughness of these awards, the final tasting is done with samples collected directly from the market. As Mercedes tries to clarify us "for the final tasting we take samples directly from the market to ensure that the consumer will buy what we have tasted, and this is the reason why we certify the batch".

Regarding the final result of what was tasted, she emphasize as a differential aspect, compared to other years, that "the wines are evolving faster than other years because we have had a dry summer, and then the freshness has been a little more camouflaged and the acidity a little hidden". She noted the variety "crianza"  as "a very long-lived wines, keeping their variety".

The wines of the D.O. Valdeorras awarded with the prize "Gallaecia" are:
(You can know them first-hand by clicking on them)

White Wines

WINE / WINE CELLAR







Red Wines

WINE/WINE CELLAR

Erebo 2010 / Carballal










Friday, August 26, 2011

Valdeorras prepares to welcome "La Vuelta 2011"


The next August 31, the region of Valdeorras prepares to welcome the eleventh stage of the Ciclying Tour of Spain 2011, which will begin in the neighboring region of Monterrei and will tour the region of Valdeorras, concluding with an exciting end in the Manzaneda Ski Station.

"La vuelta" returns to Galicia after the last departure of Vigo in 2007 with a very exciting and selective stage, formed by four very demanding mountain ports distributed throughout the day.

The start of the stage will take place in the village of Verin at 12:40 pm with a diferred start and which is going to tour the N-550 to A Gudiña, where it's going to take the turning to the OU-553 to enter into the region of Valdeorras. The stage is going to pass through the towns of Viana do Bolo, A Veiga, O Barco de Valdeorras, Vilamartín and A Rua to reach a demanding and exciting final stage in a Mountain pass, that hasn't still hold a competition like this.

Click on image to extend the route
The Manzaneda Ski Station, with its thirty kilometres of ascent, is the highest and most emblematic peak in the Central mountain range of Ourense and is expected to cause changes in the overall standings with the emergence of new figures to dispute "La Roja". The Nibali, Rodriguez, Chavanel, Escarponi, Sastre, Nieve, Antón ... and all the bulk of the squad that makes up this "Vuelta 2011", will have to play a full part in this demanding stage to keep their options to get the final victory in Madrid.

Click on image to extend the profile
 But all the effort involved in this demanding sport, it's sure to be rewarded by the heat of the attending audience form Ourense and particulary from Valdeorras, that either form the roadside or from their carefully tended wineyards, while gathering the appreciated and fantastic fruit  harvested with effort and sacrifice over the year, will give all their support to athletes in a historical stage that also augurs a historic harvest in 2011.




Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The winery Maria Teresa Nuñez Vega gives the starting signal for the grape harvest 2011 in Valdeorras


 The high temperatures recorded as well as the combination of Atlantic and Mediterranean winds, have led to the optimal ripening of the grapes in the vineyards of the Maria Teresa Nunez Vega winery, located in the town of Petín at the Valdeorras region.

Although the bulk of wineries belonging to the DO Valdeorras will still have to wait at least another week, the excellent fruit ripening, driven by the optimal weather that has characterized the season in Valdeorras, has predisposed that this wine cellar, based in the town of Petín, to kick off the 2011 grape harvest.

Sunday began with the preparations and this Monday morning around 2,000 kilos of godello were collected, which include "its high quality 'and a graduation of around 13 degrees.

The winery of Petín expects to end up the collection of the two varieties' grape production in 15 days; these are Godello and Mencía, and they hope to collect around 47.000 kilos. 'We maintain that the figures will be more and less the same than the last year ones, although there may be an increase of 10% ", says Celestino Noveira, co-owner of the winery and winemaker of Bioca.

From the Regulatory Council, it has been emphasized that the intense heat experienced in this region during the spring months has helped that now, in the month of August, the harvest  has had to be brought forward. Although traditionally, the Regulatory Council has always set the date for the grape harvest during the early September, this year, the 35-degree temperatures experienced during most of August and the combination of Atlantic and Mediterranean winds, have favored this advancement.

Jorge Mazaira, technical director of the Regulatory Council of the D.O. Valdeorras, ensures that the harvest of this year will exceed 'without doubt'  the 5.5 million kilos that were collected last year. "We have and will have a good production and a very good harvest in quantity and quality", says Mazaira.




Monday, August 22, 2011

The grape harvest that is coming brings with it a bumper and excellent harvest.

 The forwardness of the harvest, conditioned by the good weather in recent months, promises to be historic in terms of quantity and quality in Galicia.

Several media pick up the general feeling of the Galician growers under the words "possibly, the best crop in history". The weather influence that has marked Galicia since spring, is about to give the forecasted rain for the next days. This will allow that producers can establish the exact date of the beginning of the collection, that is awaited to be abundant in quantity and quality criteria.

While several Rías Baixas’ guarantees of quality, as the case of Ribeira Sacra, have already defined the beginning of the harvest by  the end of August,  Ribeiro and Valdeorras are still waiting a little longer as to improve in the quantity and the quality, as well as they're looking for the awaited rain, that could define a historical crop in their respectives areas.

On criteria of quantity, the overall feeling of the most of Galician DO is that this year it's going to surpass the record of 2006, reaching an amount that approaches or even exceeds the 50 million kilograms of grapes harvested. Of these, the wine cellars attached to the Council of the Designation of the Gaurantee of Quality Valdeorras are expected to contribute with an amount that will exceed 6 million kilograms, far exceeding the amount collected last season.

On the othe hand, the quality will not be left behind, as it is defined by having a ripe fruit and be in optimal health conditions. In this regard, the regulator DO Consello Valdeorras  has made ​​public that the strains have are a number of heavy load, while guaranteeing optimum quality and a fruit with a state of advanced maturity and perfect conditions for producing excellent wines. It's just awaited that the rainfall forecasts are fulfilled, to get a harvest that is expected to be excellent and plentiful.

While the weather helped all Galician DO, irrigating with rain when it was necessary and maturing the fruit with the suitable sun, the most damaged wineries of this year seem to be the ones of the DO Monterrei, as many producers have been unable to stop in time the disease commonly known as "Balrog", which has reduced the production to the similar quantities that were reached in the last campaign of  the year 2010, and which means that the amount of grapes collected will be about 2 million kilograms.




Friday, August 19, 2011

The single variety Sousón, a jewel to be exploited.

"Today we would like to share with all the followers of Mother of Wine this interesting article about the variety Sousón. We would also like to ecommend you to visit the IvinOurense blog, as to enjoy the interesting articles uploaded about the world of wine in this Galician province."

Galicia, land of amazing wines, great diversity of terroir, climate, heights and hundreds of native varieties, lost and forgotten by the fashion and trends.

One is these is the magnificent red variety Sousón. This is one of the most difficult varieties to grow. One of the difficulties is that it is a long cycle one, which means it reaches its optimum ripeness in October. Furthermore, we must add that it is very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, sunlight, pests, rain and autumn frost, and all them condition its development. The clusters are small sized and conical shape, with its shoulders very compacted, skin thin and very bloom. Of course all this fragility and delicacy combined with its high content in tannins and acidity make up these red elegant wines, with the subtlety of its grapes which few are able to boast, as they are ripe and have and intense bouquet of powerful aromas.


However, those days to put aside the varieties that used to give problems were left behind and we can be very proud of the efforts made by the Galician winemakers to recover the local varieties, which are surprising and seducing the most demanding palates of the world wine scene.

Until recently it was unthinkable to find a 100% single varietty of wine Sousón, and even it may seem strange, since the usual practice was to use this range as complementary to other varieties.


Wines made from the variety Sousón, with a uniqueness that is worthwhile to be drunk and appreciated.

Caco Cuvée 2007 VX Sousón, of the Coto de Gomariz Winery is a great example of the consolidation of this noble variety. Xosé Luis Sebi is the winemaker who directs this amazing creation and perhaps the man who best knows the behavior of this strain.

Quinta Muradella Sausón is developed by José Luis Mateo. This man is undoubtedly one of the young winemakers that with his very little wine production, is achieving the perfection the terroir and native varieties.

Viñaredo Sousón, afterwards the recovery of small plots of Sousón strain, born this unique wine cellar located in Santa Marta, a beautiful town of Valdeorras, led by the winemaker José Moreno Galindo. Despite being its second vintage, it can be seen that there is great potential on it.

Although Sousón is a gem to explore, with these three great examples of different terroirs already consolidated, it seems to be clear that return to the past is the best innovation.


Considering that today wine is made in almost all corners of the world and also that the consumer is increasingly sophisticated, knowledgeable and want to enjoy, have fun and try wines that express the terroir identity, there's where Galicia has a great role because it has a great diversity of native varieties, climate, soil and so on.

And do we must not forget that in a bottle of wine, regardless the grape variety and the area where is developed, there is something else inside, which is our culture, climate, rivers, the smells of the slopes, in short our way of living and understanding the wine.





Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Celebrating one hundred one thousand accompaniments


To feel myself today in Valdeorras, more Mother of Wine than ever,
I will have more than one hundred one thousand reasons...

But it is more than enough to have felled, with your help, a universe in each one of your visits,
to celebrate the one thousand visits to anyone of my universes.

Please accept, with my affection and gratitude, basis for the pairing of our past, present and future.

Cheers!

The Mother of Wine

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Great success of the XIV edition of the Wine Valdeorras


 Early last night, the fourteenth edition of the Valdeorras wine Fair was closed down. It was qualified as a success by the president of the Regulatory Council, who announced that it had reached the best expectations.

The Fair was opened up on Saturday by the Regional Minister for Rural Affairs, Samuel Juarez, beneath the praises of great work of winegrowers, winemakers and Regulatory Council. He wanted to highlight the great international success that these wines have reached in recent years: " Its projection is progressing over the last years, going from a DO almost exclusively known by the wine lovers to occupy a privileged position, both in specialized guides and restaurant menus. "

Regarding the number of visitors, we can say that there has been a considerable increase in public respect previous editions. Without a detailed analysis, the first data figures show close to 3500 visitors who, despite the bad weather, attended the Fair to taste some of the most renowned wines of the current scene. In the words of the chairman of the Consell Regulador, José Luis García Pando, the event could be summed up thus: "the Fair has perfectly achieved their goals, which are not the same as a the ones of a professional salon, but has tried to be a meeting point for different wine agents as well as a place where the wineries ara albe to show their wines. "

XII tasting of the XIV Fair of  Wine of Valdeorras

The night before the Fair of Wine of Valdeorras started, the awards of the  XII  official tasting of Valdeorras' Wine were given. These are recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in which Alan Val Pedrazais Barrel 2009 (winery of Alan) got the special mention of the harvest.

Regarding the white wines submitted to the contest (from a total number of 22) the first award went to Erebo, of the wineries Carballal, the second for Pagos Galir, of Virxe of Galir and the third for Viñaredo, of Santa Marta. In red (from the 26 that attended the contest) won Ventura, Winery of the A Pinguela, the second was for Joaquin Rebolledo, from Joaquin Rebolledo, and the third for Quinta da Peza Gold,  from Quinta da Peza.

You can visit the wineries and know first hand the wine by clicking on the name of each winery.

With all this, the new edition of the Fair of Wine of Valdeorras is understood to be finished. It has demonstrate that it's still growing, as well as ensured the prestige and acceptance of the Valdeorras' wines in the international wine world
  


Friday, August 12, 2011

About 50 wines are competing in the XII tasting of the Fair of Wine of Valdeorras

Source info. María Cobas / La Voz
Twenty wineries compete to get  one of the awards of the Fair of Wine of Valdeorras, whose assessment started yesterday with the pretasting and have carried on throughout the morning.

It will be at night, during a dinner held at the fairgrounds O Aguillón of A Rúa, when we'll know the name of the 3 white wines out of the 22 presented and of the 3 reds out of the 26 that are in the contest, that will be given one of the hope awards, which are beneath the official recognition of the Ministry for Rural Affairs.

Winemakers in the area, members of the Galician Association of Sommeliers and even an American specialist are involved in the assessment of the wines. The yesterday's pretasting was useful to stand out some trademarks and keep a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10 per category. In addition, there will be a special mention to the harvest of a unique winery of the place.

To get an award it's bound that the wineries turn up at the Fair that will kick off tomorrow and furthermore that they have 1.000 liters with 500 bottles in stock stored, and all them ready to be sold.

This act, used as a point of exhibition, opens  to the public tomorrow (August the13th at 12:00 am), and will feature 23 of the leading wineries of the DO Valdeorras
  



Thursday, August 11, 2011

Know, one by one, all the wineries participating in the XIV Valdeorras Wine Fair


Click on image to enlarge

Know, one by one, all the wineries that will participate with its own stand at the Valdeorras Wine Fair and that will join the XII tasting of Valdeorras wines.

As the XIV Valdeorras Wine Fair, will be held next 13 and August 14, "The Mother of the Wine" shows you all the wineries that will take part in it with its own stand, and which will be able to be visited by all the attendees.

Through this post you can access the Website of each of the wineries participating in the XIV edition of the Wine Valdeorras, having the opportunity to learn firsthand about their products, information, online shop, offers ethnologic tourism, as well as all the awards and lofty qualities of the guarantee of origin of Valdeorras, as one of the most highlighted wine of the international wine scene in recent years.

The participating wineries are:





















Roandi S.A.T wine cellar



+




Under the recognition and protection of the Ministry for Rural Affairs, participants may exhibit two of their wines to a group of experts, which will assess them as a part of the XII tasting the wine fair of Valdeorras.
The pretasting, which will be held today, between six or ten wines per class (white and red) will be selected, to be tasted again tomorrow in the final ceremony. Out of this final tasting there will be three winners, which will be announced at the official dinned that will take place tomorrow night at the fairgrounds.




Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Program of the XIV Wine Fair 2011 Valdeorras



Because of the celebrations of the XIV Wine Fair 2011 Valdeorras, different events will be opened to the public in the celebration which will be held in the recreation area "Aguillón", in the town of A Rúa.

After the success achieved by the winemarkers with the large crowds that attended the past "festa das Covas" in Vilamartín Valdeorras, reflected in the flow that flooded the streets of the town of valdeorras, is now the professional sector who is preparing their best finery to present the wines of the 2010 harvest that have achieved a major international success.

The XIV edition of the Wine Valdeorras was held under the shadow of Robert Parker's ratings, which has positioned 34 wines of the Valdeorras above 90 points, taking this band of wines to the second position of Galician's wines range, with a much smaller number of wineries that its predecessor, Rías Baixas.

The acts will start in a particular way on Thursday with the XII preacata tasting of the wine. Afterwards it will take place the XIV Wine Festival, which will have its end on Friday. Finally, the highlight will arrive on Saturday at 12:00 pm, with the tasting of the the most outstanding wines of the region.

In this way the schedule is as follows:

Thursday August 11

07:00 PM Precat the taste of the XIV XII Wine Festival Valdeorras

Friday August 12

11:00 AM: Final XII XIV tasting the Wine of Valdeorras' Festival

10:00 PM: Official Dinner XIV Wine of Valdeorras' Festival, which will award prizes to the winners of the XII wine tasting of the XIV edition of the Wine Valdeorras ' Festival.

Saturday August 13

At 12:00 hours: Opening of the exhibition grounds.

At 12:30 PM: Opening of the XIV Wine of Valdeorras' Festival by the authorities.

At 02:00 PM: Closing the fairgrounds.

At 07:00 PM: Reopening the fairgrounds for tasting Valdeorras' wines.

At 10:30 PM: Close the enclosure.

Sunday August 16

At 12:00 hours: Reopening the fairgrounds for tasting Valdeorras' wines.

At 02:00 PM: Closing the fairgrounds.

At 07:00 PM: Reopening the fairgrounds for tasting Valdeorras' wines.

At 10:30 PM: Closure of the XIV edition of the Wine of Valdeorras' Festival.




Friday, August 5, 2011

Tomorrow starts The Route of the Caves 2011 in its fifteenth edition

All set to start the fifteenth edition of The Route of the Caves.

With forecasts that augur that the weather will respect the coveiros, the town of Vilamartín Valdeorras donned their finest to kick off the festivities with a greater impact in  influx of Ourense's August.

Acts will be launched today with half of the Covas path dedicated to the natives of the place that for various reasons would not attend the big party tomorrow. This will consist of a sardine Festival for the elderly and funfair and inflatables that will delight the smaller, and those will be the starting point to receive the large influx of people who will arrive tomorrow from all over Spain and Portugal to taste the wines of private developers in the area.

The festival will begin tomorrow at 20:30, and at that time people would be able to buy shirts, scarves and a map of the caves for the modest price of 10 euros, and would be able to sample the different wines and bar snacks offered by more than 50 wineries participating.

Thus begins the most important week of the wine in the region valdeorresa, which will have its climax during next weekend, with the Wine Fair which will be held in A Rúa.

The week will be marked by various private acts, among which highlights the competition held by the Regulator Consello of Valdeorras and seconded by the Ministry to select the best stock among the participating wineries. In this regard, there will be held a pre tasting on Thursday the 11 to select wines that will participate in the grand final the following day.

If you want to enjoy a magical week in a place of unparalleled beauty and surrounded by some of the most popular wines on the international scene, visit this week Valdeorras and enjoy everything this land can offer to you. You would be able to visit wineries, taste the appreciated cuisine of the region, hike through its natural trails and discover the essence of this land.






Thursday, August 4, 2011

96 points for the monovarietal of Brancellao of winery Alán de Val "A Costiña 2007"

The profesional publication "Vivir el vino", in its guide 2011, has awarded a excellent punctuation of 96 points to the monovarietal of Brancellao, A Costiña 2007, elaborated by winery Alán de Val.

This monovarietal, bred in barrel of french and american oak during 8 months and in bottle during 6 months, has a graduation of 14º and his production that achieves the 1.100 bottles it can purchase by the price of between 30 and 40 euros by bottle.

It´s notes of taste are the following: high and complex Intensity. They stand out the aromas of red and black fruit. Notes of pepper and nail on a bottom of fine cortex, rockrose and  thyme. In mouth is large, savory, with mineral acidity and with a complex and persistent end.

Thus, Alán de Val wins a new recognition for an only wine in the world, since it is the only elaborated entirely with the variety Brancellao.


The Brancellao is an autochthonous variety of the inner Galicia, very scarce and of very low performance, that the filoxera was about to do to disappear to ends of the 19th century and principles of the 20th century; and, that thanks to the work of the Galician winemakers, it´s being able to recover.

Like this, the patient work of the winemakers of Alán de Val follows collecting its deserved prize adding a new award to the multiple prizes that were won by this only wine in the world. 

Encourage you to know the encomiable work of Alán de Val and the rest of pertaining wineries to the DO Valdeorras the next 13 and 14 August in the Fair of the Wine that will celebrate in A Rúa.






Wednesday, August 3, 2011

13 and August 14 meeting with the Fair Wine of Valdeorras

Are confirmed dates for the fourteenth edition of the Fair of the Wine of Valdeorras the next 13 and 14 August.

Once again the banks of the river Sil,  in the recreational area of ​​O Aguillón located in the town of A Rúa, will host a new edition of the Fair of the Wine of Valdeorras.

After the prolific reception both nationally and internationally for the wines belonging to the DO Valdeorras, it's time to introduce the excellence of these wines in its purest essence transmitted by it´s land.

Like this, the town of A Rúa will dress  of party the next days 13 and 14 August to receive the flower and cream of the wineries of Valdeorresas that will present it´s excellences in the most professional fair of the wine in the region of Valdeorras. And that better place to realise such celebration that in a frame of incomparable beauty situated to the banks of the river Sil, source of life that enriches this land.


If from United States to Russia, crossing Europe and seating solid bases in the Asian continent, have already surrendered to the excellence of these wines,are you going to lose taste them in first person? 

Since the region provides a large ethno-tourism offer, all wine lovers can enjoy these wines as the maximum expression and reflection of a land.




Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Vilamartín prepares for a Route of the Caves 2011

Next Saturday 6 August the town of Vilamartín will  host a new edition of the Route of the Caves.

One of the parties by quintessential of the gastronomic culture and wine  in Ourense will celebrates  next Saturday 6 August in the region of Vilamartín in Valdeorras. From the 20.30 of the afternoon all the assistants to this popular pilgrimage will enjoy of the differents wines elaborated by the particulars vintners accompanied by differents snacks typical of the gastronomy of the zone.

In a setting of incomparable beauty, about 50 caves will open its doors one more year to accommodate all those visitors that wishing to participate in one of the most traditional festivals of the Galician landscape for the symbolic price of 10 euros.

Enlivened by various popular bands in the region, the participants made ​​an interesting journey for about 50 caves carved into the rock. The route will end after midnight in "A Rodeleira", where the assistents will taste the traditional "queimada" under the musical notes of the group "Os Brothers"
 . 
If you want to enjoy the cuisine characteristic of this land can not miss The Route of the Caves 2011.