When acclaimed vintner Paul Hobbs arrived in Spain in 2015, he traveled to a remote village in the northwest region of Galicia. There, he met with Antonio López Fernández, a local viticultor who introduced him to Alvaredos, a small town surrounded by mountains and vines planted on steep, terraced slopes. Together they explored the vineyards, smelled the soil, and quickly realized their mutual desire to unearth the potential held in these ancient sites and indigenous varieties. After a long drive together back to Madrid, a lifelong partnership was established. After nearly 20 years, Antonio fulfilled his ardent desire to pay tribute to the small village and his grandfather who introduced him to the land when he was a child. The project also represents a new opportunity for Paul to champion one of the oldest and forgotten corners of viticulture in Spain by honoring its unique history while playing a role in elevating the region for present and future generations.

Alvaredos-Hobbs lies within the heart of Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain, where the winding River Sil cuts through the verdant, rugged landscape. Here, the cool maritime influences from the nearby Atlantic Ocean meet the steeply terraced, sun-drenched vineyards of the Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras winegrowing regions that wind along the riverbank at up to 1,500 feet elevation. The region’s mountainous terrain shelters the vineyards from the Galician rain, allowing for warmer diurnal temperatures and an extended growing season that particularly benefits native varieties such as godello and mencia.