Abadía da Cova Cepa Vella Ribeira Sacra 2025

Profile & Story

Abadia da Cova is a fourth-generation family winery on the banks of the Mino River in Galicia's Ribeira Sacra. It is led by siblings Paloma and Adrian Rodriguez Moure and their cousin Jose Moure, who all grew up surrounded by the steep, vine-covered slopes where their family has been making wine for over a century; the name comes from an abbey, or abadia, that once stood in the village of A Cova, the birthplace of their great-grandmother. Cepa Vella is the result of a collaboration with a small group of local growers with whom the family has developed deep relationships over decades, helping them transition to organic and sustainable grapegrowing and encouraging people to stay in the Ribeira Sacra. The fruit comes from two subzones: Ribeiras do Mino, where vines over 40 years old grow on south-facing granite slopes at 400 metres, and Quiroga-Bibei, where 30-plus-year-old vines are planted on south-facing slate at 300 metres. Grapes are hand-harvested in 20kg crates and fermented separately by parcel with native yeasts in 5,000-litre stainless steel tanks, macerating for two to three weeks with hand punch-downs before a slow pressing in a vertical press; the wine then rests in tank for five to eight months before bottling. 100% Mencia, 12.5% alcohol, farmed practising organic, and vegan.