Castilla Y Leon, Spain
 
A mencía-dominant field blend with Bastardo (Trousseau), Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Palomino, Doña Blanca &more • blended from many different parcels, mostly planted between the 1890s and the 1940s in and around Valtuille de Abajo on clay, alluvial stones and sand • 50-60% whole-cluster spontaneous fermentation in 13000L open-top oak vats with 60-day-plus post-fermentation maceration • racked to 225-500L barrels for elevage until the next harvest • unfined and unfiltered. The 2022 version delivers a superb bouquet of dark berries, coffee bean, grilled meats, tree bark, sweet stem tones, a fine base of dark soil, woodsmoke and a deft framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tangy and complex, with a fine core of ripe fruit, very good soil undertow, well-integrated tannins and a long, beautifully balanced finish.
 
93 James Suckling
“Floral and fruit-driven on the nose, showing raspberries and blackberries with a delicate lift. The medium- to full-bodied palate has fine-grained, supple tannins and tender red fruit.”
 
93 Wine Advocate
“The nose is harmonious and subtle... The palate is medium-bodied, with a juicy texture and very fine tannins. It has a lot of fruit, but with time, it develops more complexity, with notes of fennel and aromatic herbs.”