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Tour Spain's Rias Baixas Albariño Wine Region
If you are traveling in Spain and to the popular city of Santiago de Compostela of Galicia, consider a side trip to the Rias Baixas wine region of Galicia. Rias Baixas is the land of the Albariño grape. Here, estuaries called rias define the Atlantic coastline. The word baixas refers to the estuaries that are lower or to the south. The Albariño grape makes a crisp, refreshing, and fruity wine with a character all its own. The center of the Rias Baixas and Albariño wine region is the town of Cambados. From Cambados there are several bodegas you can visit within just a few miles. There are almost two hundred wineries in this region. We have selected ones that we think are interesting and are relatively accessible to tourists. Top Albariño Wineries to Visit on This Trail• Adega Condes de Albarei – A large co-op of local Albariño growers• Adegas Valminor – One of the largest producers of Albariño, started in 1998. • Bodega Argro de Bazan – Modern winery with tasting room and store • Bodega Martin Codax – Co-op of 250 Growers, close to Cambados • Bodega Del Palacio D Finfinans – A short walk from Cambados tourist office • Bodegas Terras Gauda – Modern winery and winemaking techniques • Pazo Senorans – Located in a 14th Century building
The Bodega Martin Codax is one of the more popular Bodegas to Visit. It is about one mile from the town of Cambados Tips for Visiting Bodegas on the Albariño Wine TrailAlways call ahead to make an appointment, at least one day in advance, better yet two days or more. This is important for getting a guide that speaks English. Some Bodegas have stores (tiendas), which need no reservation. You can buy wine at the tienda for at, what one winery told us, distributor price. Lunch hours are usually 1:30 to 3:30; plan your tour so that you can have lunch either at the winery or nearby. On Sundays the wineries are always closed. Saturdays are mixed. Adega is the Galician word for Bodega If you see an official tourist office, don't pass it up. You can usually get a plethora of information regarding wineries and the Ruta de Vino (wine route). At harvest time, most wineries are closed to visitors. Harvest can last a week to several weeks. On renting a car, we highly recommend, if you can afford it, renting a car with a GPS system. It will save much time and frustration by keeping you from getting lost less often. Be sure you have a designated driver. This information is accurate to the best of our knowledge. Call ahead or visit the winery and/or lodging Web sites for the latest information. See Albariño Wine Road Map for Location, Driving Directions,
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