Ribeiro is a traditional growing area, and has been a registered DO since 1957. Today, the area is undergoing a renaissance thanks to the distinctively different wines it makes with native red and white grapes. Some are varietal Albariños. Others are made from a balanced blend of grapes .

Immense innovation and investment is now evident throughout the DO, both in the large cooperatives and in the smaller bodegas. An unusual feature of the area is the many small, independent producers, called colleteiros, who make wine traditionally from their own grapes.