This Mencía cuvee hails from two parcels of mature vines hugging the perilously steep, cool, slate and schist soils of the Amandi gorge. The fruit is, of course, hand-harvested, then foot-trodden and fermented with roughly 30% whole bunches in large wooden, tronconique vats before being raised for between 12 and 18 months in neutral 600-litre barrels and some very old barriques. According to Jesús Barquín and the authors of The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwest Spain, it’s a wine that “… has more in common with a fine Côte de Nuits than with the image most people have of Spanish reds.” Agreed.

There’s a lovely, sweet perfume of dark fruits and liquorice as well as some wild herb, garrigue-like influence. The palate is deep and surprisingly powerful with impressive intensity of dark cherry, star anise, and smoky, mineral notes. Tightly wound, this still has years ahead of it. Côte de Nuits eat your heart out.

“Produced with Mencía grapes and a longer élevage, the 2015 Carravel is a little oaky and has balsamic notes of cigar ash, sweet spices and a smoky and creamy twist. The palate is dry and has some tannins, and it might require more time in bottle and/or powerful food. With time, it settled down a little and developed notes of beef blood and iron, the evolution of the oxidative aging.” 91 points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate