Castro Ventosa Valtuille La Cova de La Raposa 2022

Castro Ventosa, the Pérez family estate, works in the Bierzo appellation of Castilla y León, and this red comes from old vineyards around the village of Valtuille. It is led by Mencía, the local signature grape, with Alicante Bouschet and a scatter of other old red varieties from the region's mixed plantings. Bierzo lies in a sheltered basin in the northwest, where slate and clay soils veined with quartz lend Mencía its mineral, graphite character. The cool, Atlantic-influenced climate and the wide swing between warm days and cold nights keep acidity firm and the grape's floral, peppery aromatics intact. Farmed organically, the wine ages twelve months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood softens the tannins and adds a light savoury frame. At 12.5 percent it stays fresh and lifted. It pours a bright ruby. The nose shows red berries, cherry and plum over earthy, slatey tones with liquorice and a peppery edge. The palate is light to medium bodied, the juicy fruit carried by fresh acidity, fine tannins and a savoury, mineral finish. Serve at 15 to 17 degrees, with a light chill an option, alongside roast poultry or pork.