A view from Monterrei

Monterrei is the smallest Galician wine DO, probably the least understood, the most difficult to place and the least seen on Spanish restaurant wine lists. Monterrei wines have the least Galician taste of the whole Galicia region, having a very different taste profile from Rías Baixas, Valdeorras, Ribeiro or Ribeira Sacra.

When tasting wines, generalisations are of a little value. However, after blind tasting 20 wines in the impressive Castel of Monterrei that overlooks the whole region and dates back to the tenth century, one can draw an average tasting profile. White wine accounts for 70% of the total production...