The Rias Baixas is the most well known region of Galicia and produces some of Spain's most sought after dry white wines based on the Albariño grape. Īround 137 hectares (340 acres) of the Southwest France wine grape Camaraou noir (known in Galicia as Espadeiro) is grown here and often blended with Mencía and Caiño tinto. The light red wines of the region are primarily made from the Mencía grape. There are also white wines dominated by the Godello grape. More inland the white wines are often blends of Torrontés and Treixadura. The regions closer to the Miño river often produce blended wines of Albariño, Loureira and Caiño blanca. The majority of the area's vineyards are found to the south of the region in the provinces of Ourense and Pontevedra, though there are some significant plantings in Lugo to the east. The region of Galicia has shown itself to be quite successful in harvesting grapes and regularly produces some of the highest yields in Europe, averaging 5.7 tons per acre (100 hl/ ha). Viticulture and wines Albariño is widely grown throughout Galicia but particularly in the Rías Baixas DO. When Spain joined the European Union in 1986, funding assistance began reaching Galicia to help stimulate a resurgence in the wine industry. Galician harvest workers were a large part of the labor that developed the terrace vineyards in the Douro Port wine region. In the 19th century, the entire region suffered from a depressed economy and many vineyards shut down due to depopulation as workers moved away to find work. In the 14th century, Galicia was exporting plant cuttings to other European vineyards. The vineyard soils in the region range from granite in the Rías Baixas area and most of Galicia to slate in the Valdeorras region. The region's close proximity to Portugal and virtual isolation from the rest of Spain has had a marked influence on the style of wines from Galicia with many of them being closer in style to Portuguese wines than to other Spanish wines. The Serra dos Ancares mountain range forms the border with Castile and León to the east, and the Miño river forms part of the region's border with Portugal to the south. The more than 2000 hours of sunshine that the region receives helps contribute to the high humidity of the area. Located along the Atlantic coast, Galicia has a very wet climate with average rainfall of more than 50 inches (1,300 mm) a year. Climate and geography Vineyards in Galicia are influenced by the high humidity and close proximity to the Atlantic. In recent years, the region has seen a resurgence in its wine industry led by the international acclaim being received by the Rías Baixas region for its Albariño wines. Within Galicia are five Denominacións de Orixe (DO): Monterrei, Rías Baixas, Ribeira Sacra, Ribeiro and Valdeorras. It includes wine made in the provinces of A Coruña, Ourense, Pontevedra and Lugo. Galician wine is Spanish wine made in the autonomous community of Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain.
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