Ribeiro, in southern Galicia, just north of Portugal, is perhaps the least-known in Spain’s pantheon of historic and great wine regions. It’s part of so-called “green Spain” - i.e., cooler and wetter than farther inland - and home to a host of cool and characterful grape varieties both white and red that grow in tiny plots with stony and gravelly granitic soils.
Manuel Formigo is an organic grower (or colleiteiro in Galician) in the Val do Avia subsection of Ribeiro. His 'Teira X' comes from the single vineyard Finca Miñoteira. It’s majority treixadura, with smaller percentages of alvilla, albariño, and loureira. The wine ferments for 15 days and ages for several months in stainless steel tanks. There’s no malolactic fermentation. A flinty, granite-y nose sets off yellow fruits that toe the line between tart and ripe. In the mouth, the wine has a similar tension between clean minerality and textural ripeness. It’s savory, complex, and oh-so-satisfying. Try it as a killer aperitivo with any and all tapas (for example, pimientos de padrón / Shishito peppers) or as a sophisticated pairing with grilled fish or oyster po’ boy.
