Bodegas Regina Viarum

The Gómez Araujo family established Bodegas Regina Viarum in 2001 in the Doade and Amandi subzones of Lugo Province, within the Ribeira Sacra D.O. The estate's name and mission draw from a winemaking legacy stretching back 2,000 years in this rugged Galician canyon landscape. The Roman road known as Via Romana runs through the region, and the producer's identity is rooted in that deep historical continuity.

• Founded 2001 by the Gómez Araujo family
• Vineyards located in Doade and Amandi, Lugo Province
• Winemaking tradition in the area dates back 2,000 years
• Name references the ancient Roman roads crossing Ribeira Sacra

Regina Viarum is recognized as a pioneer of heroic viticulture in Ribeira Sacra, farming 15 hectares on slope gradients of up to 60 degrees above the Sil River canyon. At these angles, mechanization is impossible and all vineyard work is carried out by hand, making this one of the most labor-intensive wine regions in the world. The estate's 30-to-40-year-old vines are anchored in slate shale soils over weathered bedrock, which drain freely and force roots deep for water and nutrients.

• Slope gradients reach 60 degrees, requiring entirely manual vineyard work
• Vines are 30 to 40 years old across the 15-hectare estate
• Soils are slate shale over weathered bedrock
• Located directly on the Sil River canyon

The estate cultivates Mencía and Godello as its primary varieties, alongside Tempranillo, Sousón, Merenzao, and Albariño. Mencía drives the red wines, producing aromatic, mineral-edged styles shaped by the steep slate terraces. Godello and Albariño contribute to the white wine range. All wines carry organic certification, and the estate produces approximately 150,000 liters each vintage across red, white, and rosé categories.

• Primary red grape: Mencía; primary white grapes: Godello and Albariño
• Also grows Tempranillo, Sousón, and the rare Merenzao
• Certified organic production across all wines
• Annual production approximately 150,000 liters

Ribeira Sacra's canyon microclimate is Mediterranean in character, with wide diurnal temperature ranges and rainfall concentrated in winter months. The steep canyon walls of the Sil River create a sheltered environment that allows grapes to ripen reliably in a region that otherwise sits at the cool Atlantic edge of northwest Spain. The combination of heat-retaining slate soils and the canyon's sun exposure is the defining terroir influence on the estate's wines.

• Mediterranean climate with wide temperature ranges and low summer rainfall
• Rainfall concentrated in winter months
• Slate soils retain heat and promote deep rooting
• Canyon topography provides shelter and sun exposure

Regina Viarum operates restaurant Vértigo on site, which in 2026 became the first Michelin-starred winery restaurant in Galicia. The recognition positions the estate as a leading destination in the region, combining the experience of heroic viticulture with fine dining above the Sil River canyon.

• First Michelin-starred winery restaurant in Galicia, awarded 2026
• Restaurant named Vértigo, located on the estate
• Combines winery visit with fine dining above the Sil canyon