The Flower and the Bee Tinto 2024

The Flower and the Bee is made by Coto de Gomariz in the Gomariz valley of D.O. Ribeiro, an estate that claims the oldest registered vineyard reserve on the Spanish peninsula, with winemaking recorded since the 10th century. This red is a rare single-varietal bottling of Souson, an Atlantic grape native to Galicia. Ribeiro's cool, damp, Atlantic-influenced climate and its granite-derived soils give Souson naturally high acidity and a fresh, aromatic character, while the grape's thick skins bring colour and a fine peppery grip. The wine spends just four months in oak, a short elevage that steadies the fruit without adding oak flavour, keeping the emphasis on freshness and perfume. The colour is a bright, deep red and the nose is lifted, with wild strawberry, cherry and red currant alongside black pepper, a floral rose note and a touch of rhubarb. The palate is light to medium in body at 13.3% alcohol, with crunchy red fruit, brisk acidity, gentle tannin and an earthy, mineral finish. This is a red that can take a light chill. Serve at 14 to 15C with roast chicken, pork or grilled oily fish such as mackerel.