FALCOEIRA BRANCO
When we arrived in Valdeorras and inquired among the older winegrowers about the best vineyard in the area, they always pointed to “Falcoeira”. In the past, this spectacular, southexposed amphitheatre on the river Bibei had been the most important vineyard in Santa Cruz.
We purchased Falcoeira’s prime piece “A Capilla”, but the vineyard lay abandoned and we had a huge task ahead of us. Over several years and at immense expense, we restored the nearly 100 terraces with their stone walls and replanted the vineyard. As Falcoeira is a sunny site and ideal for red vines, a large part was planted with a field blend of local red varieties. For a 0.45ha stretch of the lower part though, close to the river and protected by the shade of a mountain on the opposite side, we chose to plant local white varieties.
Region: Ladeiras do Bibei (Valdeorras)
Village: Santa Cruz
Place: Falcoeira
Varieties: Godello, Doña Branca, Treixadura, Palomino and other local white varieties
Viticulture: Organically farmed bushvines. Manual harvest in boxes.
Winemaking and ageing : Native yeasts. Aging in barriques for 10 months.
Soils : Granitic soils, acidic, poor and coarse textured, at an elevation of 400 to 600 meters on narrow, vertiginous terraces of steep, south-facing slopes, close to the Bibei river.