Quinta do Estranxeiro

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Quinta do Estranxeiro is the Ribeira Sacra project of Eulogio Pomares and his wife, Rebeca Montero. Best known for his groundbreaking work at Bodegas Zárate in Rías Baixas, Pomares helped redefine the potential of Albariño while also championing the recovery of Galicia's historic red grape varieties. Drawn by the untapped potential of nearby Ribeira Sacra, the couple launched Quinta do Estranxeiro in 2019.

Ribeira Sacra is one of Spain's most dramatic wine regions, where the Sil and Miño rivers carve deep canyons through steep mountainsides planted to ancient terraces. With a winemaking history stretching back more than two millennia, the region's native varieties are uniquely adapted to its mosaic of soils, exposures, and microclimates. Yet the extreme terrain and labor-intensive farming have long limited production, leaving many of the area's finest vineyards abandoned. Today, Ribeira Sacra remains one of Spain's most exciting and underappreciated wine regions.

Pomares and Montero farm several small vineyard parcels without herbicides, pesticides, or artificial fertilizers. Their flagship red wine comes from two steep, terraced sites planted with 50+ year-old bush-trained vines. One vineyard in the Amandi subzone overlooks the Sil River and benefits from warm southern exposures on granite and slate soils. The second, located in Ribeiras do Miño subzone, is planted primarily to granite and receives a stronger Atlantic influence, preserving freshness and acidity. Vinified together, the fruit from these contrasting sites creates a balanced and energetic expression of Ribeira Sacra.

White grapes are considerably rarer in the appellation, but the couple also farms small plots in the Quiroga and Ribeiras do Miño subzones. These vineyards combine slate and granite soils and are carefully managed to combat the region's humid conditions while preserving site character.

As in Rías Baixas, Pomares approaches Ribeira Sacra with a deep respect for place. Through thoughtful farming and sensitive winemaking, Quinta do Estranxeiro captures the region's rugged beauty, producing wines of freshness, minerality, and remarkable precision. The old-vine Mencía, in particular, combines concentration with lift and elegance, offering a compelling glimpse into one of Spain's most distinctive wine regions.