Las Lamas 2018

I always like to compare the 2018 Las Lamas with the Moncerbal (and the others!) from the same vintage, as they are very close together and very similar, just a change in orientation, which, in this part of Bierzo, can mean huge differences. And it's often down to the harvest date, as the Mencía grape has a very short window of perfect ripening, and one day too early can be too early and one day too late ... well, too late! This comes from seven plots in the same place, the last one purchased in 2017 and totaling 2.13 hectares. They have requested the new classification of Gran Viña Clasificada in the new categories approved by the appellation Bierzo. This is a place with lots of light and a tendency toward intense ripeness, creating a more voluptuous wine. Besides Mencía, the vines have around 7% white grapes, mostly Jerez (Palomino) and 3% Alicante Bouschet or Garnacha Tintorera. They are in the process of certifying all their vineyards, and most probably the 2020 vintage will be able to carry the organic label. The natural fermentation was carried out in oak vats, and the maceration lasted 65 days. The élevage was in a combination of oak containers of different sizes and lasted for 11 months. This is a really impressive effort and showcases the generosity (in a Pomerol sense of the word) of this place; it's silky, elegant and tender but with more volume than the Moncerbal. I think this vintage is very transparent (or their interpretation has been), and each of the wines shows its personality, transcending the style of the year, like the year was more transparent. 3,097 bottles and some larger formats were filled in January 2020.