César Márquez Valtuille Vino de Villa Bierzo 2019

Description

César worked around a dozen vintages with his globetrotter uncle, Raúl Pérez, as well as spending a few harvests in Argentina with the Michelini brothers. In 2015 he bottled tiny quantities of his own wines: three single-parcel reds and one white. In 2016, he has increased the production slightly and has incorporated a regional and a village wine, mirroring the latest development in the Burgundy-inspired Bierzo classification system.

The winemaking in all his reds is quite similar, aiming to express the origin of the grapes over the winemaking process. In a nutshell, Mencía grapes plus a little Garnacha Tintorera which grows in between are partially destemmed and fermented in open barriques. Post-fermentation macerations are normally quite long, after which, all wines spend 12 months in old barrels without any racking or top ups before being released the following winter.

This is César's Vino de Pueblo (Village wine) from 80- 120 year-old vinyeards in Valtuille de Abajo.

'This is of medium ruby red colour. Fragrant on the nose with raspberry and red cherry, herbs and autumn leaves, as well as hints of whole bunch and fine wet earth and berry fruit; medium-bodied on the palate with medium intense, fine and classy tannins, layered with wet earth and berry fruit. This is one of the best wines at this price point I can imagine. Highly recommended to Burgundy lovers!' Philglas & Swiggot