As Marie Kondo would say, Spain’s 2018 vintage sparks joy! Cooler overall and rainy in spots, when vineyard work was nevertheless attentive and diligent, the ‘18s generally display unusual nerve, freshness and perfume. And nowhere are these hallmarks more pronounced than in the cool, vertiginous Galician region of Ribeira Sacra. These bright, saline, Mencia-based reds often draw parallels with the finest Northern Rhône Syrahs, resplendent in fresh red fruits, violet-scented aromas, brisk acidities and a deep minerality. Moreover, despite the truly “heroic” viticulture that the landscape demands, the region’s wines offer unbelievable value, and sit firmly under-the-radar here in the UK.
Luis Gutierrez writes that “Raúl Pérez might be better known by his wines in Bierzo, but he has done and is doing a lot more than just that. In the case of Ribeira Sacra, I think we can say he's the modern father of the appellation, the one who reinvented the wines once he saw the potential of the region after arriving there to help Fernando "Algueira" at the end of the 1990s.” Subsequently, Raúl’s consultancy Pedro Guimaro yielded the Spanish icon labels El Pecado and La Penitencia, and most recently, with long-time collaborator Rodrigo Mendez of Forjas del Salnes (and “Sketch”) fame, Raúl has established Castro Candaz; a tiny project in the cooler, more granite-based sub-zone of Chantada, and which we are proud to import exclusively in the UK.
Read MoreThese 2018s are unquestionably their finest releases to date. Our allocation comprises two reds: Finca El Curvado, a youthful, juicy blend of five plots within the larger single “Finca”, and A Boca do Demo, a 70-year old plot planted on rich slate soils, and the new white La Vertical, a herbal, salty and fragrant Godello. This is the perfect opportunity to become acquainted with Ribeira Sacra’s most exciting new project.
The wines are in stock and available for immediate delivery.