Winemaker Notes
Opaque ruby. Slick mineral- and smoke-accented dark fruit, incense and potpourri scents are complemented by suggestions of cola and smoky minerals. Sweet, seamless and concentrated, offering intense boysenberry, cherry liqueur and violet pastille flavors that become livelier and spicier with aeration. Sappy, palate-staining and lively; subtle tannins fold smoothly into the lingering blue fruit.
Blend: 60% Merenzao, 30% Mencia, 10% Garnacha Tintorera
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A vivid, bright red with red-cherry, watermelon and citrus undertones that follow through to a medium body, fine tannins and a lively finish. Shows energy and precision.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There is also a red 2017 Escalada do Sil Tinto produced with a field blend from three plots on terraces of the Sil River. It's approximately 60% Merenzao, 30% Mencía and 10% Garnacha Tintorera fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter French oak barrels for 15 months. It has the translucent ruby color of the Merenzao and the perfumed, floral nose with violets intermixed with notions of orange peel and a touch of smoked meat, quite showy. It's medium-bodied, has very fine tannins and a silky thread, very pleasant, with clean, focused flavors, lively and long, delicate and with nicely integrated oak. Very impressive!
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Just to the south of Bierzo, the steeply terraced Valdeorras Spanish wine region is a respected source of both red and white wines. Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) and Mencía are the principal red varieties while Godello and Palomino compose the majority of this region's whites.