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92POINTS

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El Castro de Valtuille Joven by Castro Ventosa 2021

El Castro de Valtuille Joven

by Castro Ventosa 2021

Producer : Bodegas Castro Ventosa

Region : Castilla y Leon (Spain), Spain (Spain)

Bottle Per Case : 12 x 750 ml

Food Pairing : Hard Cheese, Pasta, Red Meat, Vegetables

Tasting Notes

Made by the great Raul Perez. Fresh, mineral-tinged redcurrant and cherry scents show very good clarity and a subtle floral overtone.  Tangy, focused and pure on the palate, offering intense flavors of bitter cherry and red berry preserves.  Shows a light touch that's quite pinot-like, along with a touch of smokiness that carries through a long, mineral-driven finish. If you want to show somebody what Mencia smells, feels and tastes like, serve this one.

"The just-bottled 2021 El Castro de Valtuille Mencía Joven feels a bit reductive but with lots of freshness and balance, possibly the finest vintage of this wine. Since 2020, they have been doing less pumping over (this is the only wine worked with pumps and the only one with temperature control), and this is made all from destemmed grapes fermented in stainless steel. This is one of the wines that transcends its price category, and it's serious and balanced. It has very fine, elegant tannins. They harvested early, and the wine is complete, with great finesse and elegance, great balance and 13.3% alcohol. 2021 was a very rainy harvest, very long and not easy. Fine and elegant, much more serious than the 2020."

92 points - Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate, Jan 2022

Specs

Bottles Per Case 12 Pack
Point Score 92
Cellaring Drink Now or Cellar
Sweetness XD - Extra Dry See Sweetness Chart
Bottle Size 750 ml
Producer Bodegas Castro Ventosa
Region Castilla y Leon (Spain), Spain (Spain)
Alcohol 14% alc./vol.
Style Juicy, fruity reds
Vintage 2021
Farming Method Sustainable, Traditional
Grapes 100% Mencia
Food Pairing Hard Cheese, Pasta, Red Meat, Vegetables
Descriptors Earthy, Floral, Fruity, Mineral
Wine Type Red
Wood Presence Oaked
Body Medium
Price of Case $263.88

The Producer

Bodegas Castro Ventosa

Castro Ventosa was founded by the Perez family in 1752 and the family owns the estate ever since. The Perez family owns 75 hectares of Mencía vineyards in Bierzo making them the biggest owners of this varietal within the Bierzo D.O. The Bierzo appellation is made of 5000 hectares with 2500 ha planted with white varietals and 2500 ha planted with Mencía and there are 5000 landowners within the appellation.

Raúl Pérez, who now runs the winery, is a figurehead for Bierzo wines in Spain. Castro Ventosa produces three different Mencía; Valtuille, El Castro de Valtuille and El Castro de Valtuille “Joven Mencia”. Mencía is indigenous from Bierzo and some suspect that it is an ancient clone from Cabernet Franc.

The Bierzo D.O. is located in the northwest of the Province of Castilla y León, just above Portugal. Castilla was one of the original Spanish regions to unite against the Moors in the Middle Ages and thus became the north-west stronghold for the Catholics. The region has a great historical past with many remains that testify of its rich history.

The winery is situated in the village of Valtuille de Abajo at the foot of the slope of the Castro, the ruin of an ancient Roman fort that dominates the village of Valtuille de Abajo. Some of Castro Ventosa’s vineyards are planted on that same hill just around the ruins, the name Castro Ventosa means 'The Windy Castle'. The Valtuille is made from five parcels situated in Valtuille de Abajo with pre-phyloxeric vineyards that are located on the only sandy soil found in Birezo.

Bierzo is in a small valley surrounded by mountains. This exceptional geographical position gives the area a specific microclimate. The low altitude prevents frost in winter and the warm summer months provide ideal conditions to grow exceptional vines. The soil is a mixture of quartzite and slate.

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