In memory of Don Luís Sande Lage

Today we publish two tributes to mark the passing of D. Luís Sande Lage, the founder of Pagos de Brigante wines.

Luís was the driving force behind Pagos de Brigante, a small but ambitious winery based in the Betanzos (A Coruña) area of Galicia, focused on demonstrating the high potential of the Betanzos terroir and revitalising the region’s historic winemaking heritage. 

Luís Sande, in memoriam

Last night I was floored after receiving a message from Guillaume Berrier telling me about the passing of Luís Sande, who had been battling cancer for the past few months.

I saw him for the last time at this year’s Emoción dos Viños, where he told me he wasn’t doing well. Since then, we had exchanged several messages because he liked to share the progress he’d made in energising and professionalising a region like Betanzos—most notably the creation of AVIBE, the Association of Viñeróns from Betanzos.

It’s an association whose main goal is to restore the winegrowing identity of the areas within the Mariñas Coruñesas e Terras do Mandeo Biosphere Reserve, that fall under the IXP Betanzos, building everything on a foundation of quality and without relying on big, capital-heavy groups coming in to invest. Their aim is to achieve this by offering free training to winegrowers—both current and future—in organic viticulture and, to a lesser extent, enology.

This is what I’m holding onto: the enormous amount of work he put in over these last years to push this project forward for the good of the region. So that it can have a future where young people return to the fields because it offers them a dignified livelihood and a viable path to build their own future; and where its wines earn a place in a quality-driven market.

Thank you, Luís, for everything—for your time, your dedication, and the respect you’ve shown me as a professional from the very first moment. We’ll raise a glass to you every time we open a bottle of Pagos de Brigante.

Miguel Crunia

You can read Miguel’s account of a vertical tasting of Pagos de Brigante wines at the Atlantic Sommelier Substack.

In remembrance of Luís Sande

I was very sad to hear of the passing of D. Luís Sande Lage. I spent a fascinating morning with him in March 2022, visiting vineyards together.

His mammoth vineyard restoration project, "A Picha", on the banks of the Mandeo near Betanzos, was already well underway.

Needless to say, I had quite a hard time just keeping up with the guy as he bounded up and down the slopes eagerly showing me traces of 16th century granite socalcos (traditional, hand-built, dry-stone terraces), and even the remains of a quay where boats once lined up to ferry grapes to the cellars in Betanzos.

According to Luís, these walls dated from the golden age of Betanzos, when its vines, such as the resurrected Blanco Lexitimo variety, had earned the region a solid reputation from the late medieval period through to the mid-18th century.

It was a tremendous legacy, and one that he was absolutely adamant about reviving. It is deeply sad that he didn't live to see the completion of "A Picha", a wonderful gift to future generations of Betanceiros.

Que te sea leve, Luís.

Adrian McManus