2019 Vatuille, Vino de Villa, César Márquez, Bierzo

£25.25 inc. VAT

A gorgeous, earthy style red from one of Spain’s hippest wine regions – Bierzo.

This is a blend of 85% Mencia, 10% Alicante Bouschet and 5% other varietals. Cesar Marquez is young but has the super of experience of working with his uncle who just happens to be the wine making legend Raul Perez. Cesar has started his own project and this prodcued from grapes grown in the exceptional Vatuille sub-region. Grapes come from two plots in Valtuille – 85% from El Llano and the rest from El
Foco. Soils in both plots have a high content of sand in the clay and the bush vines are over 100 years old. The climate here is continental with a slight Atlantic influence.

Grapes are not destemmed and are gently foot crushed. Fermentation with wild yeasts takes place in 2,000 litre wooden foudre. The maceration lasts 17 days with gentle daily punching down. The wine is then pressed and left to settle for a week before being transferred into two 225 litre French oak barrels, at this point about 15% wine from other areas of Valtuille is added. The wine ages for 12 months before bottling without fining nor filtration.

A deliciously aromatic wine that’s fresh and elegant with notes of red fruit, flowers and graphite. It has excellent structure and grows more complex as it breathes in the glass – you can see why Bierzo is touted as the Burgundy of Spain.

A delightful match to pork or chicken.

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