2013 As Caborcas Valdeorras, Telmo Rodriguez

Fra Valdeorras på er blend af forskellige druer. En kølig, lys vin, meget burgundisk i udtrykket. Elegant i udtrykket med bløde taninner og i smagen jordbær, hindbær, peber og lette krydderier. Masser af kompleksitet og en lang krydret afslutning. Drik: 2017-2030.

A very floral nose with rose petals and subtle aromas of red and dark berries. Medium to full body, savory meat and dried-fruit character. Juicy finish. Made from a single old vineyard that comprises mencía, merenzao, souson, brancellao as well as some white varieties. Drink now.

I also tasted the 2013 As Caborcas, as the 2012 is already sold out at the winery and they have launched the next vintage. 2013 was a cool, rather difficult and late harvest vintage. It produced lighter, more ethereal wines. This sloped old vineyard from the Bibei was planted with a multitude of grapes, red and white, Mencía, Merenzao, Sousón, Garnacha Tintorera, Godello, Brancellao... The vines were planted some 80 years ago and the terraced slope is located at 550 to 600 meters altitude, and the soils are very poor and of granitic origin. The wine fermented in a combination of open top oak vats and stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts, and matured in large oak foudres for some 15 months. It has low alcohol (12.5%) and even if it feels fresh, the actual acidity is not that high. The color is a bright ruby, lighter than the 2012 or the Falcoeira, and the nose is extremely perfumed and fragrant, mixing notes of violets, wild strawberries and acid berries with great freshness, subtleness and elegance. The palate is light to medium-bodied, insinuating rather than in-your-face, with very fine tannins, focused, pure flavors and great freshness. An elegant red Valdeorras that has more in common with the reds from Ribeira Sacra than the other reds from the appellation. Grab it while you can!