2020 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra - Camino Real

The Ribeira Sacra in Galicia, northwest Spain, is a storied ancient wine region that fell into neglect and obscurity in the 20th century and came roaring back onto the serious wine scene a couple of decades ago. It is a spectacularly steep set of river valleys studded with tiny, terraced, slate-and-granite-rich parcels of old vines, most of which are planted with mencía, a beautifully terroir-expressive red variety. Pedro Rodríguez’s practicing-organic family winery Adegas Guímaro has become one of the reference-point producers in the Ribeira Sacra. 'Camiño Real' is 85% mencía plus half a dozen other local varieties from 40-60 year old vines growing in a typically vertiginous vineyard, with altitudes ascending from 350 to 500 meters. The wine ferments 100% whole-cluster in open-top oak vats with 40 days of maceration. It ages in used barrels of various sizes for about a year and is bottled unfiltered and unfined. The fruit suggests cherry and kirsch, along with floral, black pepper, an