Abadía de Gomariz 2022

Abadía de Gomariz is a red from D.O. Ribeiro in Galicia, made by Coto de Gomariz in the valley of Gomariz, where wine has been produced since the tenth century and which holds the oldest registered vineyard reserve in the Spanish peninsula. The wine is a field blend of native Atlantic varieties, Mencía with Souson, Brancellao and Ferrol, grown in a green, maritime corner of inland Galicia. Ribeiro's cool, damp Atlantic climate and its granite and slate soils give wines of marked freshness and lower alcohol than the Castilian reds, the granite lending a mineral lift and the local grapes contributing bright acidity, fine tannin and a peppery, herbal character. Vinification keeps that freshness, with ageing in wood that uses slow oxygen exchange to round the tannins while leaving the aromatic native fruit to lead. The colour is a bright crimson. The nose blends red and black cherry with red berries and plum, threaded with black pepper, a smoky edge and dried herbs over a fresh, earthy base, and the palate is medium bodied and lively, the Atlantic acidity carrying fine, grippy tannins to a savoury finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees, lightly cool. It is a versatile food red.