The recognitions earned by Virgen del Galir in the Top 100 Galicia 2026 report, authored by Beth Willard for Tim Atkin, are not the result of chance nor of a single outstanding vintage, but the consequence of consistent, vineyard-driven work over time. The appointment of Miguel Tienda as Winemaker of the Year and the selection of Regueirón 2024 as White Wine of the Year place the project among the leading names in Valdeorras today and confirm the solidity of a path defined by observation, learning and the pursuit of finesse as a hallmark.

Virgen del Galir: a decade of learning now bearing fruit

Recognition rarely comes suddenly when a project is truly solid. In the case of Virgen del Galir, the results achieved in the Top 100 Galicia 2026 report —with Regueirón 2024 named White Wine of the Year and Miguel Tienda recognised as Winemaker of the Year— confirm a body of work built harvest by harvest over recent years.

Beth Willard, author of the report, highlights the boom in new plantings and varieties such as Albariño and Godello, whose vineyard surface has increased by more than 70% over the past decade, driven mainly by Galicia. “In Valdeorras alone, Godello has almost doubled its vineyard area during this period,” she notes. At the same time, Willard underscores the work of producers seeking singularity and the expression of individual vineyards, which she describes as “dazzling”, including the Regueirón parcel in Éntoma, from which Virgen del Galir’s wine is produced.

Miguel Tienda, winery director and winemaker, admits he did not expect the recognition. “The feeling with Beth was very good when she came to taste in Valdeorras, but for me it was still a surprise,” he says, before immediately stressing the collective nature of the achievement: “This title is the result of the team’s work, from the first to the last.” For Tienda, the award is not an end point, but motivation to keep moving forward: “The best is yet to come.”

Arriving in Valdeorras with humility

Over the past decade, Virgen del Galir has made remarkable progress in terms of quality and stylistic definition. It was not an easy path. “It’s not easy to arrive in Valdeorras from Rioja, as CVNE did, and aim to be among the best when there are already great producers doing outstanding work here,” Tienda acknowledges.

The strategy was never about imposing an external model, but about understanding the territory from within. “We have focused on getting to know our soils, our vineyards, the landscapes and the different sub-zones of a denomination as small as Valdeorras.” This patient exercise in observation has been key to fine-tuning decisions both in the vineyard and in the winery.

“We have focused on truly understanding our soils, our vineyards, the landscapes and the different sub-zones of a denomination as small as Valdeorras.”

From structure to finesse

That process of understanding has also translated into a clear stylistic evolution. “We’ve moved from more structure and opulence towards something more restrained,” Tienda explains. Today, the focus is on finesse, on delicate, floral profiles, especially in Godello. “Each harvest has been a lesson.”

Learning does not stop in Valdeorras. “Our passion for wine, and our desire to keep learning and discovering other regions and styles, also shapes what we try to extract from the vineyard,” he says. But that knowledge only materialises through constant work in the field. “That means being out there all year round, observing, deciding, tasting the grapes.”

Valdeorras, he reminds us, is not always an easy, cool-climate equation. “Being in Galicia, one might think everything is about freshness, but summers here can be very hot, and achieving finesse and elegance requires constant vineyard vigilance.”

Regueirón 2024: the expression of a place

The 2024 vintage, to which Regueirón belongs —named White Wine of the Year— was generous and well balanced. It allowed the creation of a wine that, despite being aged almost entirely in contact with oak, avoids exuberance in favour of elegance, delicate notes of wildflowers and fresh herbs, and the tension and energy derived from the slate soils.

The wine’s character is inseparable from the Regueirón parcel itself, located in the village of Éntoma, between the Galir and Sil rivers, with a southeast-facing orientation. A site that delivers expressive yet restrained fruit. “Regueirón has something wild about it — it’s very Galician,” Tienda sums up.

Born in Doña Mencía (Córdoba) in 1979 and now based in Cacabelos (León), Miguel Tienda joined Virgen del Galir in 2018, when the winery was acquired by CVNE. His inquisitive nature and his passion for exploring different regions and styles have shaped a conscientious, observant and humble winemaker, who understands wine as the result of listening to the vineyard without preconceptions.

Virgen del Galir scores in the Top 100 Galicia 2026

In addition to the main accolades, the report reflects outstanding scores across the Virgen del Galir range, reinforcing the project’s consistency and qualitative growth:

• Regueirón 2024 – 98 points
  White Wine of the Year 2026. Described by Beth Willard as “a simply fantastic white wine”.
• Los Carismáticos 2024 – 95 points
• Sede e Fame 2022 – 95 points
• Val do Galir Godello 2024 – 95 points
• A Villeira 2023 – 93 points
• Val do Galir Mencía 2024 – 92 points
• Maruxa Godello 2025 – 91 points
• Maruxa Mencía 2024 – 91 points

A set of results that places Virgen del Galir among the leading names in the report and reinforces its role in enhancing and interpreting the terroir of Valdeorras.