Yesterday was a Bank Holiday in our local municipality of Ribadumia The reason? Not an albariño festival, but the annual fiesta of the Tinto de Barrantes which continues throughout the weekend.

Tinto de Barrantes does not have a denomination because the grape variety used, Folla Redondo (round leaf), is a hybrid and therefore not officially recognised. Local authorities are trying to register it as a wine making grape – a four year process, but even that is no guarantee that it will be accepted. The fundamental problem is that the EU does not currently allow any hybrid grapes to be used in wine making.

The tinto itself is a deep violet colour, and whilst it is very fruity and vibrant on the tongue, it also has a noticeably high level of (volatile) acidity, making it a bit of an acquired taste. Traditionally it is consumed from a white porcelain bowl or cunca (see photo), but is also well known for its tooth and mouth staining quality, earning it the nickname of manchamorros or pintalabios (lipstick).