2018 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Educational and pleasurable wine; great value. Needed some time to hit its stride. "
Dr Tzehow Mok (29-Dec-2019)
"We loved this. Opened as a last minute choice to go with a prawn salad as our guests turned out not to drink white - - and it worked perfectly. Character, interest, light but lots in it."
Mrs Jenny Boyle (28-Dec-2019)
2018 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Saga Magazine (23rd Jan 2020)
"The up-and-comer from
Spain … [a] real treat … Joe Fattorini"
JancisRobinson.com (22nd Nov 2019)
"Wine of the Week: … a
great example of the aromatic, fruity charms of the variety at a very decent
price …
this bottling of Villafranca del Bierzo fruit is pure Mencía unadorned by oak.
Alejandro [Luna] says of it, 'I mix old and young vines as I look for fruit and
freshness in the wine. I like it a bit childlike. I like the idea of it being
uncomplicated but really pleasurable.'
My tasting note on the 13% M bottling in 2018, a dry year in which the crop was
reduced by spring frosts: 'Deep, quite dark crimson. Some of the pure zest and
lift of this grape variety on the nose. Beautiful balance – no oak gets in the
way of the varietal expression. This would be a great teaching aid. Persists
right to the end of the palate. Excellent freshness while not being remotely
wimpy. Very good value.' - Jancis Robinson"
Decanter (2nd Nov 2019)
"The Spanish region of
Bierzo is becoming more widely known for its fruity native red grape mencia.
Unoaked and vivacious, this example is bright with fresh cherry fruit and would
work a treat with pizza - or would be a great book club wine!"
JancisRobinson.com (25th Oct 2019)
"Deep, quite dark
crimson. Some of the pure zest and lift of this grape variety on the nose.
Beautiful balance – no oak gets in the way of the varietal expression. This
would be a great teaching aid. Persists right to the end of the palate.
Excellent freshness while not being remotely wimpy. Very good value. 16.5/20"
midweekwines.co.uk (2nd Oct 2019)
"... slightly inland
from Rias Baixas in the north west of Spain [is] Bierzo ... where the light and
fresh mencia grape is the local delight – especially when it is grown on one of
the area’s slate terraces. [This] great value [wine] centres around soft, gentle
red plum and raspberry fruit with good acidity, smooth herbal influenced baking
spice flavours but very limited tannin. - Brian Elliott"