Bodegas Peique Rapolao Mencia 2022

Region: Spain, Castile and Leon, Bierzo
grape(s): Mencia
farming: practicing sustainable, practicing organic

Luis Peique is an important man in Bierzo’s movement towards showcasing single-vineyard designations. He grows the indigenous grape, Mencía, which does a superb job of displaying Bierzo’s unique terroir of red clay and alluvial stones situated in a cooler climate, with a higher elevation. The ‘El Rapolao’ drinks stylistically somewhere between Northern Rhône and Cru Beaujolais. It’s fermented with whole clusters in oak vats so keep an eye out for juicy fruit and savory spice and herbs on the nose. It is a wine of freshness and energy but we expect it to age well for up to 10 years. On the palate expect a fruit-driven wine with silky tannin but every bit of that Spanish rusticity we’ve come to love.

Pairings: Caldeirada, spanish fish stew of tomato, saffron & paprika