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Alvarez de Toledo - Mencia Roble

2021
Producer
Alvarez de Toledo
Blend
100% Mencia
Country
Spain
Region
Castilla Y Leon
Appellation
Bierzo
UPC
0 15643 25595 3
Red Wine
Verified Stock
98116-21
Product Ratings
James Suckling 92pt

Very dark and primary with dark cherries, bramble fruit, flowers and crushed stones on the nose. A full-bodied mencia, full of creamy tannins and dark berries. Flavorful and concentrated, yet pristine. Drink now or hold.

by James Suckling, 2022
Wine Enthusiast 93pt

WE Hidden Gem <br> Deep violet to the eye, this wine has a nose of black and red berries and fennel pollen. Bright flavors of raspberry and pomegranate wash across the palate joined by bittersweet chocolate, mint, espresso and mocha notes wrapped in a layer of rigorous tannins. The enduring finish is marked with a note of chocolate-covered cherry.

by Wine Enthusiast, 2023

Grapes

Bierzo is located in a sheltered mountain valley in north-west Spain, adjacent to the province of León. The area is known for its distinctive red wines from the Mencía grape, which is best compared to the Cabernet Franc, because it also produces purple-colored wines full of juicy red fruit and a pleasant acidity. Especially the wines from the Mencia grape from Ribeira Sacra, Valdeorras and Bierzo are highly valued. Bierzo is even announced in various media as 'the next best thing'. Delicious with tapas with Serrano ham.

Vineyard

Vineyards are located in the most traditional area for production in El Bierzo at an altitude of between 420 and 500m. The bunches are destemmed and squeezed gently, then they are fermented in stainless steel tanks with temperature control. The fermentation process lasts 12 days, during which pumpings over are made to facilitate the extraction of tannins and color.

Appellation

According to the history of the D.O. Bierzo appellation, the beginning of the culture of winemaking in the region goes back to the Greeks and Phoenicians with the important influence of the Roman Empire. With almost 10,000 acres of vineyards, some of them more than a hundred years old, El Bierzo is situated in the northwest of Spain. It is protected by mountains and possesses a own unique microclimate with influences from Galicia and the plateau of Castilla y Léon that keep away premature frosts in the Spring. The region has higher rainfall averages and cooler temperatures than central and southern Spain which results in bright, fruity wines that are generally higher in acidity and lower in alcohol. Producing very versatile and food friendly wines this is an up and coming appellation.

Tasting notes

Our wine stands out because of its marked fruity character which brings out all the qualities and characteristics of the Mencia variety. Its time in the barrel accentuates these qualities by providing subtlety, elegance and complexity. In mouth is silky, fruity, with persistence and great kindness.