The Father of Albariño

First came Ángel, the grandfather, then his grandson Santiago and now, his daughter Rosa. This Galician family's tradition of winemaking goes back as far as 1860 when Santiago's maternal grandfather, Ángel, founded his own winery. This passion was passed down to his grandson, Santiago Ruiz, who, after retiring, decided to dedicate himself completely to the tradition of his ancestors. Thus, in 1984, he opened his eponymous winery.
Today, his legacy continues in the hands of his youngest daughter, Rosa Ruiz, who has been able to strike the difficult balance between traditions conserved through generations and the latest advances to safeguard and preserve the uniqueness and character of the wines.

Of all the sub-zones of the Rias Baixas, O Rosal is, without doubt, one of the most exceptional. Its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the River Miño and its southerly orientation, with more hours of sunshine and less rain, bestow it with an ideal microclimate that favours the optimal ripening of the grapes.

There, near to the shoreline of the River Miño, influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, the 38 hectares of vineyard are spread across sunny slopes, divided into 19 parcels, which are analysed separately. The vines mature at their own pace, giving rise to wines of great richness on the palate and intense aromas. Selected directly in the vineyard and hand-harvested in small crates, the best grapes are chosen to preserve the unique character of the Santiago Ruiz white wines.

More than 50 years ago, Isabel Ruiz, Santiago's eldest daughter, celebrated her wedding on the family estate. To help the guests find their way to the winery in San Miguel de Tabagón, she decided to draw them a map. Her father was delighted with this little detail, which we can still see today on the label of the Santiago Ruiz bottle.