F. Algueira : Dolio 2022

The richness and structure of a Spanish red wine from Ribeira Sacra

The estate
Founded in 1996, F. Algueira is the result of a project to restore abandoned terraces, initiated in the late 1970s. Located in Galicia, at the heart of the Ribeira Sacra appellation, this estate now spans around 30 hectares of vines. The winery is currently run by its founders, Fernando González Riveiro and Ana Delia Pérez Somoza, now supported by their son Fabio González. A true benchmark of heroic viticulture, this brand stands out for its exclusive commitment to native varieties and its determination to preserve a spectacular historic winegrowing landscape.

The vineyard
The grapes for this cuvée come from a 3.7-hectare estate located in Ribeira Sacra, more precisely in the sub-regions of Amandi and Riberas del Sil, in the villages of Carballocobo and Abeleda. The vines, up to forty years old, are planted on extremely steep terraces, at altitudes ranging from 200 to 600 metres. Facing south, southeast and east, this terroir enjoys a Mediterranean and continental climate with Atlantic influences. The soils are composed of slate, schist, granite, quartz and gneiss. The vines are trained using simple Guyot pruning, with no irrigation.

Winemaking and ageing
The grapes for Dolio 2022 were harvested entirely by hand in September 2022. In the cellar, fermentation takes place with whole clusters using exclusively indigenous yeasts. The grapes are foot-trodden in open French oak vats and undergo a cold maceration. Fermentation continues with the stems in 500-litre French oak barrels. This Spanish wine is then aged for 21 months, split between 225-litre French oak barrels and a 2,000-litre French oak foudre.

Grape varieties
This Dolio 2022 from F. Algueira is a blend of 62% Mencía, 20% Merenzao and 18% Caíño.