Abadía da Cova is a fourth-generation family winery on the banks of the Miño River in Galicia’s Ribeira Sacra wine region. Today, the winery is led by siblings Paloma and Adrián Rodríguez Moure and their cousin José Moure, who all grew up surrounded by the steep, vine-covered slopes where their family has been making wine for over a century. Abadía da Cova takes its name from an abbey, or abadía, that once stood in the local village of A Cova and holds deep family significance as the birthplace of their great-grandmother.
Abadía da Cova’s single parcel wines represent a commitment to both terruño and the future: as temperatures in Ribeira Sacra rise and the once-prized Amandi subzone trends towards riper and riper vintages, the cooler Ribeiras do Miño subzone and high-acid varieties such as Merenzao and Brancellao will undoubtedly become more and more important to producing quality wines. The visionary leadership of Abadía da Cova proves that the family that has invested emotionally and financially in this region for generations is destined to become as much an iconic part of the landscape as the river valleys themselves.
O Cimbro comes from two contiguous south-and west-facing vineyards located just beside the winery, planted to Merenzao (Trousseau) and Mencía on granite and schist soils. Vines are between 15 and 40 years old. At 460 meters above sea level and steep 64% gradient slopes, these are among the highest-altitude and steepest plots at Abadía da Cova. The Moure family has spent years recovering the traditional Merenzao grape, which they believe makes wines with immense aging potential.
Vinification
Grapes are hand-harvested in 20kg crates with a first selection made in the vineyard and a second selection before entering the cellar. Grapes ferment with native yeasts in 2000L open-topped oak foudres and the wine later ages for 9 months in 420L second- and third-use French oak barrels.
Region
Ribeira Sacra
Subzone
Ribeiras do Miño
Elevation
460m
Grapes
80% Merenzao / 20% Mencía
Vine Age
15-40 years old
Soil
Granite and schist
Fermentation
Fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-topped 2000L French oak foudres
Aging
Nine months in used 420L barrels
Farming
Practicing organic
Vegan
Yes
ABV
13%
Pack Size
6x750mL