Dominio do Bibei	- 2014 Ribeira Sacra (Mencia) - Galicia, Spain

Dominio do Bibei - 2014 Ribeira Sacra (Mencia) - Galicia, Spain

Regular price
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Sale price
$27.00

This wine represents another repeated wine category because, again, we think Mencia-based wines from Galicia (Mencia’s home) are some of the most exciting and interesting wines in the world--and this is the wine that first got our attention. The terrain of Ribeira Sacra is rugged and the climate is transitional between Coastal Atlantic and Continentai. With a latitude roughly equivalent to the border of California and Oregon, this is not the sweltering dry Spain of the imagination, this is a cool climate wine. 90% Mencía, with a 10% blend of Brancellao, Mouratón, Sousón (local varieties) and Garnacha (now thought to originate from Sardegna, but with a long history in Spain), the steep, terraced vineyards are farmed organically with some biodynamic practices and the grapes are harvested by hand. There are no stainless steel tanks in the winery, only back-to-basics wood or cement are used. The wine is fermented with native yeast in a combination of 2,500L, 3,500L, and 4,500L oak tanks, then aged on the lees for 13 months in old French Barrels and then for 7 months in 4,500L French oak tanks. No toasty oak sweetness here. The wine sees a further 16 months in bottle before release. Yes, that’s 3 years of aging, folks, and the quality-to-price ratio is off the charts. We order this whenever we see it on a wine list. Think of this like a slightly fuller-bodied pinot noir when pairing with food. It is floral, aromatic and velvety smooth with rich red fruits.