MicroBio Kilometro 0 “El Origen” 2023

Kilometro 0 is the work of Ismael Gozalo, co-founder of Ossian, who makes wines under his own MicroBio label in Nieva, high on the Segovian plateau of Castilla y Leon. The wine comes from old-vine Verdejo grown on poor sandy soils at altitude, where the cool nights and ungrafted vines on free-draining sand give the wine its concentration, freshness and mineral character. Here Verdejo is taken in a natural, skin-contact direction rather than the crisp style the grape usually shows in Rueda. The grapes macerate on their skins, drawing tannin and phenolic structure that build texture and the wine's amber tint. The wine then ages for twelve months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange adds nutty, savoury complexity and rounds the tannin while keeping the wine dry and precise. The colour is golden to light amber. The nose shows pear and apricot over almond, beeswax, honey and dried herbs. The palate is dry and textured, with a gentle tannic grip, a mineral core and a long savoury finish. Serve at 12 to 14 degrees in a wide glass. It suits roast pork, poultry, nutty cheese and richer fish.