Vinopolpick Monday Bonus 2-22-21

Pedro Rodríguez is probably the foremost producer of Mencía in the world. His estate, Guímaro (meaning “rebel” in Galician), in Ribeira Sacra produces wines that exemplify why wine geeks love the region. From steep slate vineyards, the wines are reminiscent of Burgundy in their balance, but with a distinct minerality and flavor profile that’s entirely Galician.

Ribeira Sacra, Rodríguez’ home, is a cool climate region through and through. The closest analogue to the vineyards might be the Mosel, in Germany, as both have extremely steep slate vineyards that make you wonder who would think it would be reasonable to farm them. The best wines from here are lean and taut, but with enough fruit to give the structure definition and detail. Guímaro is clearly at the top of the heap and it’s always a treat to be able to offer their top wines, even better at Subscriber Special pricing.

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Guímaro A Ponte, Ribeira Sacra 2015 750ML ($59.95) $45 Subscriber Special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “A wine that has surprised many when I’ve showed it in a couple of tastings, the 2015 A Ponte is from the first harvest of incredibly young vines. It has less color and is rather light and ethereal, and in a way, it’s not the same style as most of the wines from Guímaro. It’s a project that has taken a long time, because it involved buying many small plots that have belonged to the family since 1898 (they have records) but were in different hands, so they had to find all the different owners. The land didn’t have vines anymore, so they had to replant it in 2010. It’s like an amphitheatre on a 52% to 72% steep slope on slate soils with lots of quartz, iron and mica. The idea was to plant the five red varieties—Mencía, Caíño, Merenzao, Brancellao and Souson—with 2,000 plants of each, initially with the idea to produce varietal wines. But in 2014, they had very few grapes and decided to use all of the varieties together. In 2015, all of the varieties fermented together with 100% full clusters in an oak vat, and the wine matured in used oak barrels for some 17 months. It’s a young and tender red that’s very elegant and subtle, soft and elegant. It’s quite unusual, and the style might change in the future. The vineyard was hit hard by a terrible hailstorm in 2016, so they couldn’t produce it that year; thus, the following wine is from 2017, and it’s a little more structured and powerful than this 2015, even if they are both from warm and dry years. The nose here is beautiful, and what’s surprising is the complexity and depth produced by the extremely young vines. Pedro Guímaro thinks this is a little light on the palate, but I find it superb. This vineyard has been organically farmed from day one. There are some 2,000 bottles of this first year.”

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Guímaro A Ponte, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($69.95) $49 Subscriber Special, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The red 2017 A Ponte is a blend of equal parts of Mencía, Caíño, Merenzao, Brancellao and Souson from a vineyard planted in 2010. The full clusters fermented in a wooden vat with a maceration of 35 days (shorter than the average). I really like the nuance and complexity provided by the varietal blend, and the wine feels quite complete and harmonious, clean and balanced, with no traces of oak, very pure and more on the elegant side even if it has more concentration than the initial 2015. This is only the second vintage—they couldn’t produce it in 2016 since the vineyard was basically destroyed by a terrible hailstorm that even killed some 12% of the plants in the summer that year. This is going to be a reference in Ribeira Sacra, a clear indication of how the blend of grapes can provide an extra dimension. 3,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2018.”
Importer Note “A Ponte is a new cuvée (2015 is the inaugural vintage) from a young plot planted above Finca Meixemán, comprised of Mencía, Sousón, Brancellao, Merenzao and Caiño grown on  granite,  slate  and  sand.  Grapes  are  hand-harvested,  fermented  whole-cluster  in  tank with  50  days  maceration,  then  raised  in  eight  used  Burgundy  barrels  for  around  14 months. The finished wine was bottled without fining or filtration.”

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Guímaro Camiño Real, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($37.95) $24 Subscriber Special, 17 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Camiño Real now contains all the plots that they intended to include in the initial 2016 but couldn’t because many vineyards in the Amandi zone were destroyed by a terrible hailstorm on August 15th that year. It fermented with 80% full clusters and the rest uncrushed grapes in oak vats with a maceration of 35 days and matured in those vats for seven to eight months. Half of the wine was then moved to barrique and was kept there for five months, while the rest continued maturing in the 10,000-liter vat. The wine has notes of wild berries, flowers and herbs, with good complexity and a medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins. It has more complexity and depth than the young, unoaked wine and the single-vineyard bottlings. It has a nice mouthfeel and is quite approachable, a round and somewhat immediate vintage. 25,000 bottles.”
Grapelive 92 points “One of my favorite producers and wines, Guímaro, made by Pedro Rodríguez, makes red and white wines in the Ribeira Sacra region of Spain’s Galicia provence….These steep vineyard sites are back-breaking hard to work, with everything done by hand, they look more like frightening slopes in Mosel than what you’d expect in Spain, looking down upon the Sil river. This 100% whole cluster 2017 is full flavored with flinty earthy tones showing briar accented raspberry, huckleberry, plum, cherry and cranberry fruits, a touch of smoke, leather, mineral iron and anise, along with a delicately sweet floral essence that balances out the savory elements and dusty dry tannins. Mencía has qualities that remind you of the northern Rhône, but is brighter like Pinot or Gamay with a similar lively personality. The 2017 vintage is ripe, but full of natural acidity and takes a few swirls in the glass to reveal its true depth and textural quality, it is a wine that certainly benefits from simple country cuisine and robust dishes. Pedro’s wines are real, honest and terroir driven with the reds being made mostly from Mencía and the white crafted from Godello, ancient native grapes that require extra care and TLC to make world class wines, which he does at this small winery set in this remote place that was once highly prized by the Romans, who named it the Sacred Banks (Ribeira Sacra) and planted vines on the historic terraces…the wines from Guímaro, which means “rebel” in Gallego (the local dialect)…are wines of rustic charm and character from a region that humbly respects and honors the power of nature, they are wines of place, especially the series of single parcel wines like this Camiño Real bottling, from all organic 40-60 year old vines set on the slate with a mix of sand, quartz and granite with a field blend of about 85% Mencía plus tiny amounts of Merenzao, Mourato´n, Brancellao, Cain~o, Souso´n and Alicante Bouschet. In the cellar, Pedro, who was mentored by the legendary Raul Perez, keeps things simple, natural and non intervention in style, employing native or indigenous yeast, spontaneous fermentations in open-top wood vats and long macerations, with this Camiño Real seeing a 40 maceration and primary fermentation on the skins, after which the wine was raised in a combination of used oak from large foudre to small used barrique and bottled with ultra low sulfur, unfined and unfiltered.”

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Guímaro Finca Meixemán, Ribeira Sacra 2015 750ML ($49.95) $33 Subscriber Special, 5 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “I tasted the 2015 Finca Meixemán, because the following vintage, 2017, will be bottled and released a little later. Like the rest of the single-vineyard bottlings, they were not able to produce this wine in 2016, as the grapes were hit by hail in August. It comes from vines planted in the 1940s, from the older part of a larger vineyard. The soil mixes slate and granite. They used 60% full clusters to ferment in oak vats with a long, 50-day maceration. The wine matured for five months in oak vats and then was put in used 225- and 500-liter oak barrels for some ten months. Despite the time it has already spent in bottle (almost two and a half years), the wine is still quite tannic and powerful. 2015 was a warm and dry year that delivered concentrated wines. It needs powerful food. 7,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in late 2016.”

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Guímaro Finca Meixemán, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($54.95) $39 Subscriber Special, 23 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Finca Meixemán is a single 1.2 hectare southeast-facing plot of old Mencía vines. This is the original family-owned vineyard that helped create their adega. The grapes are hand-harvested, foot-trodden with 40% whole cluster, and fermented in open-top foudre with a long maceration. The wine is raised for 12-14 months in mostly used Burgundy barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. With a core of kirsch-like red fruit, spices, and minerals, this is a serious wine to pair with wild game, offal, braises, stews, roasted or grilled meats.”

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Love Spanish reds? We have 130 red wines from Spain in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Daniel Landi, Raúl Pérez, Vega Sicilia and more, on our web store.

 

Andy:
The Friuli is an amazing area that has had its growing pains and is starting to come into its own. For the longest time, the reds were funky, often international varietals that seemed just a touch out of place. The whites were safe, but often a little underwhelming. Now, one can find amazing white and red selections, but the white wines are truly my favorite. The area is a stones throw from Slovenia, 20 km from the sea, 30 km from the Alps – there are influences in climate, soil, and winemaking styles coming from all directions. In the midst of all this there are some of the most unique and wonderful wineries you can hope to stumble across. Of all of these, my favorite is Vie di Romans.

I love white wines with weight and texture, but if the balance is off, there is no magic. Fortunately, the wizards at Vie di Romans know what they’re working with and how to turn grapes into gold. The core team has been at the winery for almost forty years, and their wines seem to improve with each vintage. Their work within their vineyards takes into consideration the complete picture. From the canopy to the soil, they seek out the best conditions to produce complexity in the final wines. There is a point at which complexity is simply confounding, but the Vie di Romans never seems to cross the line. Their attention to detail is the key to producing wines with beauty, mystery, wildness and elegance all in one bottle. These are not the wines for everyone, that much is clear, but those who are looking for something to shake up the routine should love them. Additionally; do not rush these wines. Open them and let them breath. I will oftentimes decant these just to get the ball rolling. Even a week later, they will continue to delight and surprise.

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Vie di Romans Chardonnay Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($34.95) $29.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “Polished, clear and silky, the Vie di Romans 2018 Friuli Isonzo Chardonnay Vie di Romans is a beautifully balanced wine that gives equal weight to the intensity and quality of the fruit and the abundantly enriched texture of the mouthfeel. This is Chardonnay presented in 360-degree splendor with peach, melon, honey, pastry crust and cream custard. Ten months of aging on the yeasts gives the wine added dimension and opulent richness. Saffron, spice, cumin and fragrant sandstone are intermingled on the long and silky finish.”
James Suckling 94 points “A rich, aromatic white with sliced and cooked apple, steel and stone. Full-bodied with layers of fruit, but in a focused and polished way. It’s creamy and fruity with a round texture and a delicious, flavorful finish. Mineral and steely notes at the end. Drink or hold.”

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Vie di Romans Dessimis Pinot Grigio Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($33.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Beautiful rose-gold color with lots of ripe pear, golden apple, mango and pineapple on the nose. Hint of honey. It’s full-bodied and creamy on the palate with toasted almonds alongside tropical fruit. Smoky minerality, too. Drink or hold.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The Vie di Romans 2018 Friuli Isonzo Pinot Grigio Dessimis boasts a pale copper color with amber and peachy pink highlights. This vintage is not as wide or as texturally generous as the 2017 vintage also tasted in this report. However, the 2018 offers lifted, sharp fruit that is delineated and pure. Those subtle mineral nuances also appear with more clarity. There is tart berry, white cherry, wild mint and bitter almond. I also taste a mild tannic crunch. That structure comes from extended maceration on Pinot Grigio skins, as does the wine’s pretty color. It would be interesting to check in on its evolution in five years’ time. The wine ages on the lees for two months in French barrique.”

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Vie di Romans ‘Dolee’ Friulano Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The Vie di Romans 2018 Friuli Isonzo Friulano Dolée reveals a wide spectrum of aromas with stone fruit, citrus, wild sage, rain-soaked sandstone and honey. The bouquet is pure and fine, but the Friulano grape—especially in the hands of a winery of these credentials—is especially impressive in terms of mouthfeel and texture. There is a sweet softness and textural creaminess that gives the wine solid, mid-weight appeal. Then, all of that abundant fruit comes to an elegant close with a pristine note of salty mineral. This wine is aged on the lees in stainless steel containers for 10 months.”


Vie di Romans Flors di Uis Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($31.95) $27 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The Vie di Romans 2018 Cuvée Friuli Isonzo Flors di Uis is an assembly of Malvasia, Riesling and Friulano that builds beautiful intensity on both the nose and the palate. Attempting to dissect the bouquet is not easy because there are so many elements to take under consideration, from orchard fruit and ripe apple to custard cream. The protagonist of the blend is Malvasia, and the wine’s floral notes of honeysuckle and yellow rose are quite amplified as a result. Thanks to nine months of aging on the lees, the wine is broad, rich and generous   to the end.”
James Suckling 93 points “Lovely, perfumed nose of lilies, lime blossom, passion fruit and lychee. More citrus-peel and lightly herbaceous notes on the palate. This is full-bodied and very intense, yet there’s some good acidity. Warm finish. Drink now.”
Importer Note: Malvasia Istriana 57%, Tocai 8% and Rhein Riesling 35%

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Vie di Romans Vieris Sauvignon Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 20 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “Extremely fresh and intense with waxy and lemony character, as well as candied apples. Full body. Lots of fruit and flavor. Layered and powerful. Excellent depth and flavor intensity. Drink now.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “This was a vintage that saw reduced yields across the board with quite a few climatic challenges thrown at winemakers in Friuli. The team at Vie di Romans was evidently undeterred by the bad weather, instead producing a wine with some hot-vintage aromas of ripe apricot and honey that are well balanced against the fleshy richness of the mouthfeel. The 2017 Friuli Isonzo Sauvignon Blanc Vieris (which is aged on the lees in oak) shows softness and silkiness, all capped by abundant stone fruit, melon and pear. The results are impressive, and 33,753 bottles were released.”

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Shop the entire selection from Friuli and beyond on our web store now.