Meet the winemaker: La Perdida

La Perdida is a project by Nacho Gonzalez in Spain's Galicia region, where he manages a number of vineyards that he inherited from his grandmother. In his work, he focuses on 'soil recovery' and old grape strains, cultivating approx. 4 hectares of vines with a majority of Grenache Tintorera, along with Jerez, Godello, Sumoll, Doña Branca and Palomino.

We had the opportunity to speak with Nacho about his work. We hope you enjoy our conversation.

Can you tell me about your background? About inheriting the vineyards, and whether you had explored winemaking before this?

I inherited my first vineyards from my grandmother. She always made wine at home. She sold some of her grapes and kept some back to make wine for the family to drink that year. I have memories of making wine from when I was a child and harvesting the different vintages. The whole family helped.

I originally trained as a biologist and, in 2011, settled permanently in Valdeorras to work in that field - not at all related to winemaking. But I had the afternoons free, which allowed me to start working in the vineyards that my family had left to me. That first year, I made 600 bottles. The next year, I acquired a winery that had been closed for years - and that's how it all began.

Why is soil recovery important to you and how does this influence the way you work?

Soil is everything. Plant life begins with healthy soil, where all the biological processes that occur in nature can develop. My goal is for the soils of my vineyards to resemble the soil of a forest.

Can you tell me about the old grape strains you work with? Are they unique to Galicia?

They are not exclusive to Galicia - the dominant varieties are Palomino and Garnacha Tintorera that were planted a lot in my area after phylloxera. Consumers in my territory did not value them until now, but to me they are magnificent, and a lot of them old vines. Other varieties that I use are Godello, Dona Branca, Merenzao and Mouraton.

Can you tell me about the different terroirs you work with?

I have different types of soil: clay with slate rock, limestone in a hotter area and granite located at higher altitudes.

What is the wine scene like in Galicia?

Wine without adding anything is complicated because I am practically alone in that. As for my territory, the Godello grape has been promoted and that has caused many large wineries from Ribera del Duero and Rioja to arrive. I don't like this situation - I lived very peacefully before.

Visit La Perdida's RAW WINE profile to learn more.