Amandi Sub-zone Wine Route
With this Ribeira Sacra route dedicated to winemaking, you will visit the Amandi sub-zone, which is the most famous from the Ribeira Sacra PDO. You will follow a route that passes by its wineries and viewpoints, and you can enjoy a hiking path among the vineyards on the banks of the Cabe River.
The day begins with a visit to the Ribeira Sacra Wine Centre, which is located in the city of Monforte de Lemos, considered to be the capital of Ribeira Sacra. At the Wine Centre you can get some first-hand knowledge regarding the unique characteristics of the Ribeira Sacra Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), before visiting the actual wine-producing landscapes. If you arrive in Monforte de Lemos early, you can spend some time visiting the city’s attractions. For example, you can take a walk along the banks of the Cabe River, admire the old stone bridge, or take a look at the medieval walls and the Jewish quarter.
After taking a guided tour of the Wine Centre, you will head towards the Amandi sub-zone, which is the most well-known from among those belonging to the Ribeira Sacra PDO. To get there, take the LU-903 in the direction of Doade until arriving in that village. Once there, you will have various options:
- Visit a winery. There are three wineries that welcome visitors in the village of Doade itself: Algueira, Petrón, and Regina Viarum.
- Visit the Pena do Castelo Viewpoint.
- Visit the Soutochao Viewpoint.
By the time you have enjoyed any of those activities, it will be lunchtime, so we recommend making a booking at a restaurant in Doade, or at some other location in the municipality of Sober (you can use the interactive map, or look in the "places to eat" section).
In the afternoon* you will visit the Amandi Viewpoint (also referred to as the Os Chelos Viewpoint), which also offers sweeping vistas over the vineyards, although this time closer to the river. To get there from Doade, take the LU-P-5903 in the direction of Sober. After travelling for a few minutes you will see the turnoff to the Amandi Viewpoint.
After enjoying the view, return to the highway and continue in the direction of the town of Sober. Once you have arrived there, follow the signs to the Casa Grande de Rosende, which is where you will begin the next activity: the PR-G 86 Hiking Route (Ribeira Sacra Vineyards Trail). Here, walking along the banks of the Cabe River, you will have entered another sub-zone of the Ribeira Sacra PDO. As the name of the Hiking Route indicates, you will be getting a first-hand look at one of the local viticultural landscapes, while also passing by traditional villages and a series of restored historic watermills.
If you decide to walk the entire route (12.3 km), you will end up in Os Chancís, in the middle of the Sil Canyon. This is a linear route, which means that if you go all the way to the end you will not have transportation to return. However, you can call for a taxi from the nearest taxi stand in Sober: Manuel (677 358 050) or José Luis (677 43 60 91).
If you are travelling this route during the winter (or autumn), we recommend walking the first 2.5 kilometres (during daylight hours) until you reach the village of Portizó, and from there returning by following the signs to Rosende (this is not part of an official Hiking Route and is not marked that way).
*Other alternatives for the afternoon:
- Take a trip through the vineyards on the Aba Sacra Tourist Train.
- Visit other wineries. There are other wineries you can visit in the Amandi sub-zone and surrounding areas, such as Bodega A Carqueixa, Bodega Proencia, Bodega Viña Mezquita, Lucenza, Malcavada, Rectoral de Amandi, Val de Lenda, and Viña Cazoga.
- Take a special wine tourism catamaran boat trip on the river, which includes onboard wine tasting.
- Visit a pottery centre in Gundivós (Figulus or Rectoral de Gundivós), which are spaces closely linked to the world of wine.
COMMENTS
We recommend that you should begin this route at 11.30 a.m., which is the time of the first guided tour at the Ribeira Sacra Wine Centre.
It is housed in an historic 18th-century building that was once a hospital, then a social club, and even the town hall.
Over one hundred wine producers work in the Ribeira Sacra, and not only are they committed to selling wine, but they are also keen to promote how their product is made.
The wide range of food and drink on offer here owes to the region's rich land, which produces top-quality products, prepared using traditional procedures which have survived into the modern day.
The viewpoint stands beside a paved road overlooking some vines on an almost vertical plot and it offers a spectacular view over the Sil Canyon as it runs through Sober. It is also known as the Os Chelos viewpoint.
Along this certified twelve-kilometre linear route, we explore part of the Cabe Canyon, passing through a number of villages before finally making our way down past historical mills to the level of the river Sil.
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