Fedellos do Couto As Xaras 2023

Fedellos do Couto is a project set up by winemakers Curro Barreño, Jesús Olivares and Luis Taboada in the D.O. Ribeira Sacra in Galicia. As Xaras is a single-variety Mencía grown on the steep slate and granite terraces above the Sil and Bibei rivers. This is heroic viticulture, with vines clinging to slopes too sheer for machinery, worked entirely by hand. The poor schist soils and Atlantic-influenced climate, tempered by the warming effect of the river canyons, give Mencía its combination of ripe red fruit and fresh, mineral acidity. The cool nights preserve aromatics and hold the alcohol in check, which is why the wine comes in light at 12.5 percent. It is aged for twelve months in used French oak barrels, where the neutral wood adds no obvious oak flavour but allows gentle oxygen exchange to soften the tannins and knit the wine together. The result is a vibrant ruby colour, with a lively nose of juicy fresh red fruit, a peppery edge and a stony, earthy undertone. The palate is light to medium bodied, fresh and energetic, with fine tannins and a savoury finish. The estate farms sustainably. Serve lightly cool at 14 to 16 degrees. It suits grilled pork, roast poultry and mushroom dishes.