PEZA DO REI

Ribeira Sacra, Spain

Ribeira Sacra and its Sil River Canyon must be counted among the world's most spectacular wine regions. Upon visiting, there is no choice but to be convinced of the region's potential to produce supremely expressive and individualistic wines.

The Cesar Enriquez famimly is among the core group of founding growers of what was to become D.O. Ribeira Sacra, reconstituting their vineyard site to noble varieties from the early 1990s. Peza do Rei is a medieval walled vineyard and woodlands estate taking its name from the Kings of Leon, for whom it served as an income source and private hunting retreat. Within the extant albeit crumbling medieval walls are eight acres of vertiginous, single-row slate terraces forming a perfect south-facing amphitheater on the Edo River tributary of the Sil. Varieties planted are Mencia for reds, Godello, Treixadura and Albarino for whites. The modern bodega, with a capacity of 50,000 bottles, is excavated inot a hillside for complete temperature insulation, and boasts thoroughly updated winemaking equipemtn.

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