Ultreia Cova de la Raposa 2021

Raúl Pérez, born in Valtuille de Abajo and one of the pioneers of Bierzo and the Mencía grape, makes Cova de la Raposa from a single pre-phylloxera plot in León. The vines grow on sandy-limestone soils on a south-facing slope, where the free-draining ground and old, ungrafted plants crop low and yield concentrated fruit. Bierzo sits at the meeting of Atlantic and continental influences, and the cool nights here hold the freshness and the floral, peppery lift that mark good Mencía. Fermentation runs in 500-litre barrels, and the wine then matures 20 months in French oak, where the larger format and slow oxygen exchange refine the tannins and frame the fruit without overwhelming it. The colour is deep ruby. The nose shows ripe red and black fruit over a faint floral note, with pepper, dried herbs and a stony, mineral edge. The palate is medium-bodied and textured, the tannins fine, the red fruit carried by a savoury, earthy depth and a graphite freshness into a long finish. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees and decant ahead. It suits roast beef, game and mushroom dishes.