2021 Dominio do Bibei Lalama

Founded in 2001 by Javier Dominguez, Dominio do Bibei are “pioneers of Ribeira Sacra” (Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate) and among those credited with driving the modern, quality revolution in this historic, Spanish region.

Dominio do Bibei’s vines are grown at varying elevations of 200-700 metres above sea level, 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 purchased land in Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeira’s most easterly sub-region, and currently owns a 140-hectare estate, of which 45 hectares 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 small team of talented winemakers, producing some of Ribeira Sacra’s most esteemed wines. The winery is gravity-fed, and the winemaking philosophy is centred around gentle fruit handling, vinifying plots separately, indigenous yeast fermentation and ageing in a variety of vessels, including concrete eggs, foudres and old 600-litre barrels. Aside from working with their estate vineyards, Dominio do Bibei also source grapes from neighbouring vineyards, provided they do not face south; producing vibrant fruit with good levels of natural acidity is key to the estate’s gastronomic style of wine.

Vines are grown at varying degrees of elevation, between 300 to 700 metres above sea level, and are scattered across a large, north-facing hillside with schist and granite soils, flecked with slate, quartz and iron. The vine age varies between 25 and 100 years old and on average produces between 1 and 1.5kg of grapes. The region’s Atlantic climate, with an average annual rainfall of 700mm, mostly concentrated in the winter and spring months, helps retain freshness and acidity in the fruit. The summer and autumn are drier, with a large diurnal range.

'Lalama' has a vibrant and slightly spicy nose brimming with aromas of ripe black cherries, blueberries, dark plummy fruit and a touch of wild strawberry. These crunchy fruit aromas are contrasted beautifully by the peppery spices, some toasty oak notes and a warm mocha character. The wine is a dark red colour with youthful ruby reflections. The palate is fresh and texturally inviting.

JancisRobinson.com “Delicate nose. Notes of redcurrant, herbs and hints of truffle. Flavourful with firm but subtle tannin and herbal touch on the palate. Worth every euro of its price. (FC). Drink now-2034.“ 16 points