Who makes it
Dominio do Bibei makes blended wines in the Bibei River valley, with Mencía leading the reds and Godello the whites. Its four cuvées all carry names beginning with the letter L: Lalama, Lacima, Lalume and Lapola.
The winery sits in Ribeira Sacra's Quiroga Bibei subzone, beside the boundary with Valdeorras. Priorat winemakers Sara Pérez and René Barbier Jr. once advised on the winemaking, while the range extends into Ribeiro through Lalume, a white wine carrying that appellation.
Where it grows
The Bibei River valley places Dominio do Bibei in the Quiroga Bibei subzone of Ribeira Sacra, close to Valdeorras. The producer's main geographic home is therefore Ribeira Sacra, while Lalume carries the Ribeiro appellation on its label.
The family has also acquired land and vineyards around Manzaneda in Ourense. The holdings sit across more than one valley and a wide range of elevations, giving the producer a broader geographic base than a single village address.
How it is made
The cellar
The estate covers 140 hectares, with 32 hectares under vine. Mencía is the most widely planted grape and may account for as much as 80 percent of the plantings. The red wines are led by Mencía, while Godello leads the whites.
All grapes are destemmed. Maturation uses oak vats, foudres, large barrels and cement eggs. The hillside winery allows wine to move by gravity, and Skurnik describes the operation as a descent through neutral wooden vessels.
What they make
The range comprises four L named cuvées. Lalama and Lacima are reds, while Lalume and Lapola are whites.
Lalama is predominantly Mencía, with a fragrant profile marked by redcurrant and balsamic notes. Lapola is primarily Godello, blended with Albariño, Doña Blanca and Treixadura, and is described as flinty and mineral with depth of flavour. Lalume is the Ribeiro white in the group. Its grape formula and cellar work are set out below.
Wines to try
First bottle
Open with Lalume 2023, the Ribeiro white. Wine Advocate lists the blend as 88% Treixadura, 6% Albariño and 5% Godello, with Caíño Branco, Torrontés and Loureira making up the remainder.