Alvaro Palacios is the one that put Bierzo on the map not too long ago and here we are talking about things that are ‘Bierzo adjacent.’ For the sake of education, because this is new to almost everyone,
Ribeira Sacra is the appellation in northwest Spain and Mencia is the varietal, cultivated in this area since the Middle Ages. Algueira is one of the best practicioners with this varietal and, unlike Palacios, only makes this one wine that we have seen. Very rich, complex and ample, yet with a cool, smokey, dried flower element to the dark red fruits, think Cabernet Franc meets Pinot Noir with northern Rhone notes thrown in. A lot of wine for the fare.
