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By Patrick O\'Rourke Posted on Culinary
 Ever since I tried the wonderful Menica wines of the Ribeira Sacra Denomination of Origin in Galicia, Spain, I haven't stopped talking about them. I am very parched at the moment while in North America because I can't seem to find any wines from this D.O., the reason being is it is a very small wine-producing region and the majority of its output is consumed locally.
This wine region lies along what is in my opinion one of Spain’s most picturesque river gorges. Actually, there are two gorges: that of the River Sil, which then meets with the powerful river Miño and its gorge. The area is known as the Ribeira Sacra (Sacred River Bank), so named because of the great number of monasteries that string along the banks of the gorges. A wise note to remember is that when you find a large concentration of monasteries within short distances of one another, it is almost guaranteed that you’ll find excellent wines. That’s certainly the case here.
The most popular type of wine in this region is a red wine made from the Mencia grape variety, although there are some white wines made from the Albariño grape. Production of the red is very limited, but very high quality. This is due to the steepness of the vineyard terraces as they rise from the river banks. They’re so angled that even a mountain goat would have trouble climbing them, but to the local vintners of the Ribeira Sacra it is no problem. They used to bring their grapes down to the river in baskets, load them in small boats and take them down river to a place where the canyon side wasn’t so steep for unloading. Nowadays growers motorized power lifts that bring the grapes to the top of the canyon side.
My personal favorite of all Mencia wines is from Via Romana (Roman Road) Winery, situated on the bank of the River Miño in the small village of Belesar. The name comes from the winery’s location along an ancient Roman Road. The winery is equipped with leading-edge machinery for extracting juice from the grape without harming or compromising its qualities: pumpless casking, pressing and low speed de-stemming, combined with a traditional cellar, built half underground, for maintaining suitable temperature and humidity.
Via Romana’s namesake red is the latest wine to be add to the Ribeira Sacra Denomination of Origin. The winery, with 12 hectares (30 acres) of vines, limits annual production from each vine to 1.5 kgs (3.3 lbs). When harvest time comes, its begins a strict blending process. The backbone of its wine, the Mencia grape, carries the gout de terroir – essence of the land – of the Ribeira Sacra region. To enhance its body and balance, the vintners blend it with other noble varieties.
The result, after barrel fermentation and aging, is an exquisite looking wine, deep purple-red in color, with flashes of dark violet. The aroma is highlighted by intense hints of red fruits of the wood, enveloped in mint and cherry. Its fresh, balanced tastes fills the palate with the same aromas at the back of the nose, offering an aftertaste marked by an emphatic tannin flavor. It is a harmonious, solidly structured wine.
When I am in the area, I always make it a habit to stop and buy a few cases of Villa Romana, knowing it’s so hard to find outside the region. On various occasions I’ve taken clients and friends for a tour of the winery and a special lunch in its dining room, which overlooks the vineyard and river. What better way to savor these wines than with a succulent cordero baby lamb or cabrito baby goat, accompanied by potatoes, all roasted over a wood flame to bring out the true, juicy flavors of the meat?
This “sacred” land is one to be savored with all the senses.
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