Valdeorras

Valdeorras is, in itself , the mother of the wine:

because there the Romans planted the first vineyards

for being the seed of different but at the same time unique names Godello, Dona Branca, Mencía, Merenzao, Brancellao, Souson, Negreda, Grao Negro...

because its ancestors, from the ancient times, gave shape to the vineyards with their hands , till they became a part of themselves,

because testify the birth of an Origin Denomination, which was one of the first in Spain

because in itself, each stone is placed, and every piece of land contains milenary different names
because wine growerings and owners of the wine cellars swing , pamper their wines with the background and the unique memories from the microcosmos in each vineyards

because Valdeorras, was capable of sintetice ,with its essence, the sincretism from the wine all along the time, making us feel

XI: The universe of the Valdeorras

On 27 July 1945 was accorded the D.O. Valdeorras by ministerial decree and declared protected designation of origin, the geographical name of Valdeorras and is the Regulatory Council.

XI: The universe of the bottle

We can not forget that the maturation of the wine continued in the bottle. In the well-corked bottle with a cork healthy, there is a decrease that develops the bouquet of wine, harmonizing and rounding. Since the eighteenth century, the sense of functionality, manageability, custom and prejudice have played more baroque forms and have defined a practical and logical lines for bottles that are traded.

X: The universe of the Valdeorras

The first American grapevine grafting was done in 1904 Vilamartín by Justin Fernandiz, who created the first nurseries and development achieved much fame and who provided most of grafts that were used to reconstruct the vineyards of Ourense.

X: The universe of the bottle

In the finish of twuenty century the use of glass bottles was replaced with plastic containers of no return. However, the wine is still using glass bottles, in most cases.

IX: The universe of the Valdeorras

In the year 1882 with the invasion of phylloxera, there is the ruin of the vineyards of Valdeorras. Phylloxera was a plague from Portugal that in a few years destroyed more than 1,000 hectares of vineyards.

IX: The universe of the bottle

In 1872 a manufacturer of soft drink patented a bottle for carbonated drinks. The bottle contained a label and a glass stopper in the neck. The bottles were filled upside down, and the pressure of carbon dioxide into the bottle forcing the plug against the bill, sealing.

VIII: The universe of the Valdeorras

Although the variety Godello existed since Roman times, will be in 1877 when it reaches full recognition in the National Wine Show, which states that occurs in Ourense where calledWhite Godello.

VIII: The universe of the bottle

Industrial use of Cork was following the Discovery of the wine of champagne (or sparkling wine) in the second half of the seventeenth Century by a benedictine monk, that implying the need to acquire other basic elements, that is to say, the glass bottles to contain and its blockage sealed to prevente evaporation of the liquid, which will facilitate the conversion into a growth industry, extending to other European countries.

VII: The universe of the Valdeorras

Valdeorras is a region where proliferating the caves, kind of underground cellars where wine is stored. Jose Miramontes pointed in the end of eighteenth century as appearing these caves (said) "a little provision has been noticed in this wine Negreda to keep him after the heat of summer looming, have been specified their growers to build cellars groundwater or caves where they save him from perdition. "

VII: The universe of the bottle

It was in England, where was produced the first specific wine bottle thick walls. Probably made in the workshops of the former buccaneer Sir Kenelm Digby, which appears in history as the putative father, and with a seal dating from 1657.

VI: The universe of the Valdeorras

After the abandonment of the region by the Romans and the arrival of the Swabians and Visigoths, in times of Leovigildo and Recaredo, and after the union political and religious of the peninsula, the region had to live a period of peace and splendor. In the land of "Gueurres" coin money was reached three times-VITERO (603-610), Sisebuto (612-621) and Suintila (621-631) – ceccas in which thwey were located in: Valencia GUEURRES-Sil - , PINCIO-clamp-and-Larouco LAURUCLO. These coins were inscribed images related to grapes, by their importance in the vineyards in Valdeorras.

VI: The universe of the bottle

In the end of the eighteen century is when appear the cylindrical bottle as we know it today. This type of bottle contributed, in addition of greater resistance, the posibility that it could be placed in a horizontal position, facilitating its storage and preservation to always keep the cork moist.

V: The universe of the Valdeorras

From the medieval, the cultivation of the vineyards was imposing dominantly in the landscape of Valdeorras to the point that mid-century XVIII, according to the Cadastre of Creek, it notes the existence of vineyards in almost all villages in the region. Moreover according to the inventory and survey of 1789 was accounted for more than 200 gardens dedicates to the cultivation of vineyards.

V: The universe of the bottle

In the 1640, a member of the British Court Sir Kenelm Digby, inaugurated the first factory of bottles that used hul coal in its ovens, and although he wasn't the first use the technique if was the first to patent and therefore he is who was tradicionally credited this invention.

IV: The universe of Valdeorras

In the Middle Ages, the tradition of planting vineyards was continued by the Benedictines monks. Between the centuries XI and XII cited 40 documents in which consigned the existence of vineyards, this gives us a clear shows of the importance that this cultivation was acquiring in Valdeorras. Besides referred to vat, vines and winery so as to necessary accesories to the wine elaboration.

IV: The universe of the bottle

About 1400 in Tuscany appeared a bottle of Chianti, which consisted in a globular bottle cesta de pajawas added around a straw basket, which gave him protection and strengh.

III: The universe Valdeorras

In the middle of the century X, specifically the 19th of October of 940, it appears by the first time a written new which done reference to the existence of the vineyards in Valdeorras. This fact make us a document of the Tumbo de San martiño de Castañeda when said: Adicimus etim villa de Vico ab integro per suis terminis sive terra vel vineas que sunt in lorres. (Rodríguez, 1973. pp. 208-210)

III: The universe of the bottle

From century XII is when the glass achieves a wide development and generalized its manufacturing, having as main focus the city of Venice. However, this didn't suppose the daily use of the glass.

II: The universe of Valdeorras

We can situate the first settlement in the region of Valdeorras in the pre-Roman time, specifically in the forts of Vilela (A Capilla), A Rúa (A Coroa) y Fontei. As testimnony of this we find the gravestone of A Coroa.