The Ribeira Sacra D.O. winery receives the Wine Tourism Award, consolidating its position as a benchmark for Galician wine tourism on the international stage.
23 January 2026
The winery has earned this recognition in the prestigious 2026 Galicia Report Top 100 by Master of Wine Tim Atkin, compiled by journalist and international wine expert Beth Willard, one of the most influential voices in Spanish wine worldwide.
The Wine Tourism Award – Vía Romana, D.O. Ribeira Sacra honours the winery’s wine tourism project as the most outstanding in Galicia, highlighting its authenticity, the integration of heroic vineyards into the visitor experience, and a way of understanding wine that is profoundly linked to the landscape, history, and natural rhythm of the Ribeira Sacra.
This recognition follows Beth Willard’s visit to the winery, where she experienced firsthand both the winemaking project and Vía Romana’s signature unhurried wine tourism approach, which has made the winery one of the most visited in the denomination.
An International Recognition for Galician Wine Tourism
Being featured in Tim Atkin MW’s guide places Vía Romana in a prestigious international context. Tim Atkin is one of the world’s most influential wine critics, a Master of Wine, a regular contributor to publications such as Decanter and Harpers, and co-chair of the International Wine Challenge. Beth Willard, author of the Galician report, is a specialised journalist, co-chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards, and a frequent collaborator with Atkin on regional reports.
In the second edition of the Galicia Report Top 100, Willard tasted 429 wines from 101 wineries across Galicia’s inland denominations, highlighting not only the quality of the wines but also the projects that best represent the present and future of the region. In this context, Vía Romana’s recognition as the best wine tourism experience underscores the key role of wine tourism in promoting the Ribeira Sacra internationally.
Wines that Complement the Experience
In addition to the Wine Tourism Award, Vía Romana’s wines achieved excellent scores in the guide:
Heroica 2020 – 94 points
Vía Romana Do Camiño Mencía Garda 2022 – 93 points
Vía Romana Do Camiño Godello 2024 – 92 points
Vía Romana Añada Mencía 2024 – 92 points
Vía Romana Do Camiño Indigenous Yeasts 2022 – 92 points
VR Barrica 2024 – 91 points
These results reinforce the consistency between the quality of the wines and the experience the winery offers its visitors.
Wine Tourism with Roots, Landscape, and Time
Vía Romana’s wine tourism project developed organically as locals and visitors began coming to the winery to learn about its work. The activity became professional in 2017, and in 2023 it took a decisive step by fully integrating the heroic vineyards into the visits, including walks along terraces with slopes of up to 75% and experiences that showcase the manual viticulture that defines the Ribeira Sacra.
Currently, the winery welcomes over 6,000 visitors per year, offering experiences ranging from essential visits to vineyard tours, harvest activities, literary proposals, and unique events such as Noites de Méndez-Rojo.
"Recognition from a guide like Tim Atkin’s, and especially the Wine Tourism Award granted by Beth Willard, is an enormous satisfaction for our entire team. Our approach to wine tourism is a natural extension of how we make wine: unhurried, attentive to the landscape, and letting the Ribeira Sacra set the rhythm. Having this approach internationally recognised encourages us to continue our work," says Juan Luis Méndez, CEO of Vía Romana.
Vía Romana, Ambassador of the Ribeira Sacra
With this latest recognition, Vía Romana consolidates its position as one of the leading references for Galician wine tourism, adding this international accolade to the recent Del Viajar award from La Alacena Roja magazine. The project grows from its roots, values heroic viticulture, and helps promote the Ribeira Sacra as one of Europe’s most unique wine regions.
Visits Throughout the Year
Vía Romana offers multiple experiences:
Esencia (60 min, 3 wines)
5 Sentidos (70 min, 5 wines)
Heroica (90 min, vineyard + 3 wines)
Premium (75 min, 5 wines + local bites)
Private visits, Literary Route, Harvest special, and other experiences on request
Discover all visits and book here: Wine Tourism Reservations
An Experience Beyond the Visit
Vía Romana’s commitment to wine tourism connected to landscape and the slow enjoyment of the territory expanded last year with the opening of the Taberna Vía Romana, which will reopen in March. This space allows visitors to enjoy the winery’s wines with cold appetizers, overlooking the Ribeira Sacra—a meeting point designed for both visitors and those who want to savour the surroundings without hurry.
New experiences will soon be added, such as The Picnic Visit, allowing visitors to enjoy a picnic area among vineyards by the river, integrating gastronomy, landscape, and wine in one of the denomination’s most unique settings.
Additionally, Vía Romana offers the Requeixiño winery house for groups of up to 20 people, ideal for private meetings, meals, or corporate events in an intimate setting surrounded by heroic vineyards and views of Belesar.
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