'Corullón' Mencía 2021

Corullón is the summation of 210 tiny parcels of fruit grown from the cold metal-mineral soils on the mountain slopes (between 500-1000 metres) above the village of Corullon. Vine age is 50-90 years, and these organic vineyards are un-irrigated and bio-dynamically farmed by hand and horse.

Fermentation is in small wooden vats (foudre), and the wine is bottled unfiltered after 14 months' maturation in French oak – the first 7 months in new, then another 6 or so in 2-3 yo barriques and hogsheads with some foudre and clay vats in the mix. About 50% of stems are retained, with just a little, gentle pigeage; fermentation and maceration go for a little more than two months. No pumping, no filtering or fining. Contains traces of white from field blends including Palomino, Godello and Valenciana.

Balsamic herbs and violets ring out over red-blue fruits. The wine is elegant, definitively Atlantic with great length. The cold sensations are relieved by sweet spices and deep earthiness. There is a clear sense of cold in the damp mountain soil aromas, from which rise a ‘spring-like’ awakening, with blossom smells, mint and verbena and an electric mineral tingle emerging. Tannins are beautiful and run the show in the mouth, full and deep, softly, earthily coating, then coaxing, engendering a slow, low outward release promising a long developmental future.