Dominio do Bibei, `Lapola` White Ribeira Sacra

Founded in 2001 by Javier Dominguez, Dominio do Bibei are “pioneers of Ribeira Sacra” (Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate), credited with driving the modern, quality revolution in this historic, Spanish region. Dominio do Bibei firmly believe that this spectacular landscape can produce some of Spain’s most distinctive wines.

Dominio do Bibei’s vines are grown at varying elevations from 200-700 metres, scattered across a large, north-facing hillside with schist and granite soils, flecked with slate, quartz, and iron. Vines have been cultivated in Ribeira Sacra for centuries, having first been planted by the Romans, before the devastation of phylloxera and civil war drove local families to leave the region and begin new, easier, lives elsewhere.

In the late 1990s, Javier came to the region attracted by its old vines and untouched, Jurassic landscape. His family bought land in the Bibei valley, Ribeira’s most easterly sub-region, and today owns a 140-hectare estate, of which 45 are planted with vines. Javier has since worked tirelessly to revive the region and its indigenous vines, undertaking what is known locally as ‘heroic viticulture’.

Today he is joined by a team of talented winemakers, Paula, Xoán, Emilio, Alin, Carlos, who continue his legacy, producing some of Ribeira Sacra’s most esteemed wines. Aside from working with their estate vineyards, Dominio do Bibei also source grapes from neighbouring vines, provided they do not face south; freshness and good acidity levels, balanced with pure, vibrant fruit, being at the core of the estate’s celebrated style. It is these characteristics that make their wines so suited to a range of food-pairings, ensuring their popularity with sommeliers across the world.

Mencía is Dominio do Bibei’s most widely grown black grape. However, they also use the local Brancellao, Sousón, Mouratón, Alicante Bouschet and Caíño, reflecting the seemingly chaotic vineyards of their predecessors. For whites, Godello and Albariño dominate, with small amounts of Doña Blanca, Treixadura and Torrontés sometimes included. Their grapes are destemmed and aged in various vessels, including modern cement eggs, foudres and old 600-litre barrels.

Dominio do Bibei make four cuvées whose names begin with the letter ‘L’. ‘Lalama’ is a light and fragrant red (90% Mencía) with sappy, redcurrant freshness from grapes grown on the warmest, lower part of the valley. ‘Lacima’ is a blend of Mencía, Brancellao, Mouratón and Sousón from the peak of the hillside. It displays a vivid, black cherry character with a fine, filigree texture. Two white wines are also produced. ‘Lalume’ is a precise, barrel-fermented Treixadura, while the limited ‘Lapola’ is a blend of Godello with Albariño and Doña Blanca.