Spain is pretty well known as being a country that offers good value for money when it comes to wine. However, more and more it is increasingly being discovered as a country that can offer enormous variety in premium wines as well, often show-casing very small areas within larger appellations, or specific ‘terroir’ if you like. One of the pioneers of these very specific wines is Alvaro Palacios, who came from the famous winemaking family of Bodegas Palacios Remondo in Rioja and found his own fame and fortune in Priorat, where he is still responsible for some of the most iconic (and expensive) wines from the region. Alvaro’s second project is in DO Bierzo, co-founded with his nephew Ricardo Perez, where a similar philosophy is practiced as in his projects in Priorat: Old vines (100% Mencia), often cultivated in wild, steep and rocky areas with a very strong personality being imparted to the final wine.
With less than 100 wineries active and producing wine in the area, DO Bierzo remains something of an unknown quantity to most wine consumers, despite recent booms in niche circles. Mencia is the most commonly cultivated grape here, usually planted between 500 and 600 metres above sea level usually on slate soils, particularly on the higher-altitude vineyards. Mencia typically creates darkly coloured, fresh wines often with beautiful raspberry, cherry and violet aromas with a good level of tannins and an ability to age gracefully. There are a few producers making truly interesting wines in this region, with Descendientes de J. Palacios being my favourite by a considerable distance thus far. Aside from the below wine, they also offer Petalos as a great value, introductory wine and then several single vineyard offerings at super-premium prices, such as Las Lamas, Moncerbal, San Martin and La Faraona.
Villa de Corullón 2005
100% Mencia blended from 3 separate villages around the village of Corullón, Bierzo.
Aged for 14 months in French oak barrels
Old vines: 600-100 years of age
Appearance: The wine is a dark ruby colour with a clear garnet tinge on the rim. Considering the wine is 11 years old at this stage, this isn’t surprising! Mencia is one of a few grape varieties that offers such a dark, brooding colour but with a surprisingly light body and style to the wine itself.
Nose: Wow, very expressive! The aromas are still fruit forward with lots of beautiful notes of dried dark cherries, plums and some floral notes as well. There is a hint of bitter chocolate, tobacco, baking spices and lavender. A really complex collection of aromas with none of them dominating the others; exactly what I love about good quality Mencia.
Palate: Dry and medium bodied, with a really pleasant balance between the alcohol (14%), tannins and the acidity which is characteristically high, even after 11 years of age. There’s a little bit of sediment but nothing that a quick decant can’t fix. The finish is absolutely wonderful and goes on for a good 20-30 seconds, which is usually a sign of a very well crafted wine.
Conclusion: If memory serves, I spent around 40 euros for this wine from Vila Viniteca and I don’t regret a penny, it’s such a wonderful wine I’m happy I still have another bottle left! 2005 was an outstanding vintage for most of Spain, Bierzo included and to find a wine from a top producer, selling at the same price as the current vintages? Yes please! If you’re ever looking for back-vintages of certain wines, Vila Viniteca in Barcelona is a pretty good place to start as they have an awful lot of stock that you can’t see in their website or their shop. Pop in and ask around and you’ll be surprised at the little gems you can unearth, just like this one!