Iron-rich slate soils give the red wines a mineral precision you can feel on the palate straight away. Since 2019, Sangarida has been turning century-old Mencía vines into wines of remarkable clarity. The brothers Robustiano and Baldomero Fariña run the young estate with the expertise of Jean-François Hébrard, who also advises the family's Attis estate in Rías Baixas. Some of the vineyards in San Lorenzo del Bierzo were planted in 1901 and 1910 – roots this old bring a concentration and depth that only time can create.
The rebirth of a tree nymph
The name Sangarida comes from Greek mythology – a tree nymph who won the heart of Attis. This poetic choice of name reflects the
deep connection to nature that drives the Fariña family. As founders of the renowned Attis Bodegas y Viñedos in Rías Baixas, the Fariña brothers brought their family's winegrowing expertise to Bierzo in 2019. The mother of Robustiano's daughter Lía comes from this region between Castilla y León and Galicia, so
personal roots and oenological vision flow together here.
Century-old roots in iron-rich earth
The vineyards of San Lorenzo del Bierzo tell stories spanning three centuries. Vines planted in 1901 and 1910 sink their roots deep into
iron-rich, slate-laden soils that give the wines their characteristic minerality. These
Mencía vines, more than a hundred years old, naturally give low yields, but grapes of exceptional concentration. The soils are a complex mix of iron oxide, limestone and slate, and together with the continental-Atlantic climate they create ideal conditions for
slow ripening and aromatic complexity.
Jean-François Hébrard's precise signature
The guidance of Jean-François Hébrard, who at the same time runs his own estate,
Quinta de la Quietud in Toro, decisively shapes Sangarida's winemaking philosophy. His experience with
minimal-intervention cellar techniques informs every step of the work. The
Mencía 2023, for example, ferments exclusively with natural yeasts and is bottled unfined to preserve the
original expression of the terroir. Top wines such as the
Pico Tuerto 2021, from vines more than 50 years old, reveal Hébrard's feel for fine-grained tannins and elegant extraction.
Minerality between red and white
While Mencía forms the backbone of the red wines,
Godello and Doña Blanca give rise to exceptional whites.
La Yegua 2021, an equal blend of both varieties, shows the versatility of the Bierzo terroir. Godello brings structure and citrus notes, Doña Blanca adds floral elegance. Fermentation in used French barriques lends a
subtle texture without dominant oak. These whites draw on the same iron-rich minerality as the reds, but translate it into fresh acidity and a long, salty finish.
