Wine bars are currently in vogue. Increasingly, wineries are investing in them, offering direct experiences where one can sample their wines and meet the producer. However, before it became a trend, Galicia already had something quite similar: the furancho, the "homemade wine bar" where producers would serve their own wine accompanied by simple tapas, in a rustic and familial setting.
It is precisely from this tradition that Fazenda Agrícola Augalevada emerges, the project of Liliana Fernández and Iago Garrido. What began as a small furancho, a modest space for sharing surplus wine with friends and neighbours, has evolved over the years into a noteworthy winery, with its own personality and biodynamic production.
The winery is situated on the historic estate of Augalevada, in Riobó (Galicia), a 4-hectare vineyard that belonged to the Pazo de Riobó in the 18th century and retains its original name. From this estate comes Ollos de Maia, a fresh and vibrant red crafted from caíño longo, brancellao, and caíño da terra, cultivated on "xabre" (decomposed granite) soils and following biodynamic agricultural principles. The harvest is entirely manual, with 70% of the grapes being destemmed by hand and the remainder gently crushed. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts, and maceration lasts between 30 and 40 days. Subsequently, the wine ages for 10 months in 500 and 600-litre French barrels, preserving its freshness and character, without filtration or added sulphites.
Fazenda Agrícola Augalevada Ollos de Maia is a testament to how a project that began as a humble Galician furancho can transform into an elegant signature wine with its own identity, always preserving the authenticity and closeness that gave rise to its story.