Extreme terrain, the low yields of its poor soils, phylloxera and the depression of the 1920s led to the near-total abandonment of this small but historic winegrowing area of Valdeorras. Mostly cultivated on terraces, these small plots were inherited by the growers by drawing lots, "sorte" in Galician.
They lie in the westernmost part of the region, at the foot of the Ourense central massif, where the area's geology is strongly shaped by its parent material, granite, especially in its form and physical characteristics. The soils are sandy, formed by the natural breakdown of the granite and by the presence of quartz schists. They are poor, acidic and prone to erosion, so light ploughing machinery
has been adapted to protect the terraces, and traditional ploughing with animals has been brought back, recovering the traditional viticulture and historic landscape of the Bibei Valley.
The estate now owns 28 plots totalling 24.5 hectares of Godello, enjoying a continental climate with Atlantic influence. They lie on the right bank of the river Bibei, at altitudes of 620 to 740 m.
These plots are farmed traditionally, with organic-based treatments. The oldest "sortes" are farmed biodynamically.
