At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Place
- Consell, Mallorca
- Named grapes
- Prensal Blanc, Viognier, Mantonegro, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Gargollassa
- Bottles
- Ribas Blanc, Ribas Rosat, Ribas Negre and Sió Negre
- Defining feature
- Recovery of Gargollassa and preservation of native grape varieties
The Producer
Bodega Ribas recovered Gargollassa when the native variety was practically extinguished and maintains Mallorca's oldest plantation and widest diversity of native grape varieties. That work sits inside a family winery in Consell, where almost 50 hectares of vines in Can Ribas produce around 220,000 bottles a year. 50% of that volume is red, with the rest white and rosé wines. Araceli and Javier Servera Ribas, tenth generation siblings, are in charge of winemaking.
Place
Over 150 metres above sea level, the vineyards sit in Mallorca's Raiguer region at the feet of the Tramuntana mountain range. Altitude generally lengthens ripening and can help vines retain acidity, so the elevation changes the balance between fruit maturity and freshness before cellar work begins.
Soil And Site
Alluvial soil is material moved and deposited by water. At Can Ribas it is deep, with a loam and sand texture and variable amounts of clay and silt. Sand allows excess water to move through the root zone, while clay and silt hold moisture between rains. The combination reduces prolonged saturation and can support even ripening. The native varieties grow in that well drained alluvial ground.
Story
In 2019, architect Rafael Moneo directed the expansion of Bodega Ribas's winery. The project introduced new tanks, allowed experimentation with new vinification techniques and improved energy efficiency. It updated a production site founded by Pedro Ribas de Cabrera in Consell in 1711, where wine has been made continuously since the original winery was built.
Vineyards And Cellar
Selection begins before fermentation. Bodega Ribas pioneered grape selection in the vineyard and hand selection, grape by grape, at the winery. Removing uneven fruit before fermentation leaves a more uniform batch of grapes for the cellar. All vines achieved organic certification in 2014, with official organic labelling beginning in 2016. The certification covers the full vineyard holding.
Wines
The portfolio separates younger vine Ribas wines from old vine Sió bottlings. The 2025 Ribas Blanc is made from 93% Prensal Blanc and 7% Viognier, while Ribas Rosat is the rosé bottle. Ribas Negre is a red wine comprising 50% Mantonegro, 12% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. Sió Negre is the old vine red in the portfolio.
In The Glass
Ribas Blanc is round, aromatic and smooth, with a fruity note. Ribas Rosat brings gentle strawberry, redcurrant, raspberry and cream caramel on the nose, then a smooth, fresh, refreshing and luscious palate. Ribas Negre shows a floral aroma of fresh wild berries with a spicy scent of wood; the palate is slightly dry.
A Bottle To Understand It
Open with Sió Negre, the old vine red in the portfolio. It is bright cherry red with purple trim, with dominant black fruit, mineral undertones, nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa and balsamic notes on the nose. The entry is crisp, the mid palate balanced, and the tannins sweet and velvety. It comes first because it is the old vine red, with a black fruit, spice and sweet tannin profile distinct from the white, rosé and younger vine red formats.
Anecdote
In 1877, a wine from Bodega Ribas won the Medal of Perfection at the National Wine Exhibition. A medal at a national exhibition records a public judgement of a wine, turning the result into part of the winery's historical record. The wine's name is not given, but the event has a fixed date, institution and award: 1877, the National Wine Exhibition and the Medal of Perfection.
Final Word
Bodega Ribas joins elevated Raiguer vineyards, alluvial ground and red, white and rosé wines, with Sió Negre occupying the old vine red tier.
Sources
- spanishwinelover.com/winerie/ribas
- www.illesbalears.travel/en/mallorca/winery-ribas
- emblematicsbalears.es/en/comercios/bodega-ribas
- grandespagos.com/en/bodega/ribas-2
- wine-life.es/en/producto/sio-negre
- www.fetasoller.com/en/mallorca-shop.php/shop/cat/majorcan_wines/white_wine_from_mallorca/ribas_blanc
- www.fetasoller.com/en/mallorca-shop.php/shop/cat/majorcan_wines/red_wine/ribas_negre_can_ribas_red_wine_mallorca
- www.vinissimus.co.uk/en/wine/ribas-rosat