Peique Mata Los Pardos Vino de Paraje 2022

Peique works in Valtuille de Abajo in the Bierzo region of Castilla y León, where winemaking has long been a village tradition now carried on and refined by the younger generation. Mata Los Pardos is a single vineyard, or paraje, wine made from Mencía, the region's signature grape. Bierzo sits in a sheltered pocket between Galicia and the Castilian plateau, and its slate and clay soils with old, low yielding vines give Mencía its mix of red fruit, floral lift and graphite minerality. The wine is aged twelve months in oak barrels, a measured maturation that frames the fruit and softens the tannin through slow oxygen exchange without masking the site. It pours deep ruby, with aromas of wild raspberry, plum and violet over black pepper, liquorice and a slatey, smoky minerality. The palate is medium to full bodied, with fine, firm tannin, fresh acidity and a long, savoury, mineral finish that reflects the single site origin. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It suits roast and grilled red meat and earthy dishes.