Rías Baixas - Mists, Myths and Mariscos

Wine Blast with Susie and Peter

What do bagpipes, rain, witches, pilgrimage, lampreys and Albariño all have in common? Not much really - but they are all featured in this episode on Rías Baixas, the intriguing wine region in north-west Spain famous for its seafood, verdant landscapes and refreshing, brine-tinged white wines.
Historically, this was always a remote region of hardy fishermen and misty hillsides. But since the 1980s a wine revolution has been taking place, majoring on a distinctive style of Albariño we wine drinkers have lapped up, and propelling the official appellation vineyard from a tiny 237 hectares in 1987 to 4,480 hectares today.
In this first instalment of a sponsored two-parter with DO Rías Baixas, we get a feel for the place, its people, history, food and wines. We explore the region's famous whites, recommending some as we go, but also explore the lesser known reds and sparkling wines.
Peter has a run-in with a sea urchin and a particularly pungent lamprey stew, and we hear from Stephanie Schilling (Santiago Ruiz), Susana Pérez (Pazo San Mauro), Fernando Oubiña (Mariscos Laureano), Natalia Rodríguez (Señorío de Rubiós), and Lúcia Barbosa (Adegas Galegas).
Thanks for tuning in. We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe. Or you can find contact info, together with all details from this episode, on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E20 - Rías Baixas: Mists, Myths and Mariscos
Instagram: @susieandpeter

Capítulos

1. Rías Baixas - Mists, Myths and Mariscos (00:00:00)

2. Hello and welcome (00:00:11)

3. This one's not normal.... (00:00:30)

4. Why we're excited about this one (00:01:11)

5. Galicia is rich in history and myth (00:01:46)

6. Taster quotes (00:02:41)

7. What's coming up (00:03:50)

8. Sound effects to set the scene (00:04:50)

9. Rias Baixas: the context (00:05:46)

10. So what are the people like? (00:10:05)

11. Visiting Santiago de Compostela and its magnificent cathedral, talking witches... (00:11:51)

12. The prominence of women in Galicia and Rias Baixas wine (00:17:28)

13. MID-EPISODE RECAP (00:19:56)

14. What about the food? And the 'Atlantic Diet'?! (00:20:48)

15. Peter's encounter with armies of shellfish (00:22:41)

16. Shellfish in Galego (00:23:32)

17. Shellfish...with Albarino (00:26:15)

18. Beware lamprey stew (00:29:46)

19. So what of the wines in Rias Baixas? (00:31:09)

20. Red wines on the up in Rias Baixas (00:32:25)

21. Sparkling wines have a place too (00:39:21)

22. Recommending two excellent Rias Baixas whites (00:42:56)

23. FINAL SUMMARY (00:45:38)

24. Outro (00:46:19)