Fedellos do Couto Lomba dos Ares 2015

"The red village 2015 Lomba dos Ares mixes grapes from different parishes of Manzaneda—mostly Soutipedre and some 20% from Langullo and San Lorenzo along the Bibei Valley—and also mixes different soils, and the proportion of grapes might change according to the vintage. As the grapes come from head-pruned, 60-year-old vines, even if the dominant grape is Mencía, the vineyards contain different varieties, such as Garnacha Tintorera, Negreda, Grao Negro, Bastardo, Caíño, Aramón… The usual modus operandi for the reds is also applied here: fermenting with clusters in plastic bins with indigenous yeasts and maturing the wine in used 300- and 500-liter French oak barrels for some ten months without racking. This is the rounder and fleshier of the reds, with a little more ripeness and color, approachable and with a subtle, elegant minerality. It opens up in the glass and shows more delineation and very good purity. The palate is juicy but combines some traces of mineral austerity that provides length and a tasty finish. 4,500 bottles were filled in December 2016."