2016 Castro Ventosa Mencía “El Castro”

This young red hails from the northwest Spanish region of Castilla y León. The Bierzo winemaking region within Castilla y León is particularly unique because it has its own microclimate. The grapes are shielded from frost in winter by the surrounding mountains, and the warm summers make for optimal grape-growing temperatures. The grapes used to make Castro Ventosa Mencía were grown by the Perez family who has been making wine in Bierzo since 1752. With that kind of winemaking experience, we think it’s safe to say they’ve got this process down.

This is a summertime fireside wine if we've ever tasted one. It has bold tannins but they disperse rather quickly into the back of the palate. With its easy-going tannins and zero residual sugar, this is a wine we can drink all night long. Heart-warming and comforting, it’s the perfect companion for sitting on a log swaddled in a flannel button-down breathing in the crackling embers of an open-air fire.