LOSADA 2022

Description

Losada 2022 is the flagship wine of Losada Vinos de Finca, a winery founded with a radically different philosophy from the usual one in Bierzo: instead of looking for vineyards on the classic slate slopes, they opted to recover old, almost abandoned Mencía vineyards in clay areas, achieving a unique and distinctive profile within the denomination.

The winery is located on the outskirts of the town of Pieros, on the Camino de Santiago, halfway between Cacabelos and Villafranca del Bierzo. Since 2005, head winemaker Amancio Fernández has led the project with a clear goal: to express the elegance and purity of Mencía on clay soils, with 100% sustainable cultivation since 2017.

Made with 100% Mencía from a selection of old vineyards between 40 and 80 years old located in the municipalities of Valtuille de Abajo, Pieros, Villadecanes, and Corullón, on slopes with different orientations and at an altitude between 480 and 600 meters. The clay soils—a rarity in Bierzo, which is dominated by slate—give Mencía a fleshier, fruitier, and more enveloping expression, completely unexpected for anyone familiar with the denomination's classic profiles. Work in the small plots is aimed at maintaining the balance of the vineyard with its natural ecosystem.

The harvest is carried out by hand, plot by plot, checking the ripeness of the bunches individually. The destemmed and gently crushed grapes are transferred to stainless steel tanks for alcoholic fermentation with native yeasts and maceration for 25 to 30 days with periodic pump-overs. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrel. Aging lasts 12 months in French oak fudres and barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unstabilized, clarified only with plant-based gelatin.

Of ruby-red color with reddish reflections, clean, intense, and bright. On the nose, luscious and fruity: ripe black fruits, blackberries, and blueberries predominate, with spicy, smoky, and toasted notes that come from aging. On the palate, the entry is fresh and silky, with good body and structure, very fleshy and round, with a broad and persistent finish. A wine with an Atlantic character and a marked Bierzo personality, with aging potential until 2030.

Serving temperature: 15-17°C. Ideal for cured meats, grilled lamb, roasts, meat rice dishes, red meats, botillo, and aged cheeses.