Winemaker Notes
Unculín is a fresh, energetic red Bierzo that offers a refreshing antidote to the over-blown, internationally-styled wines previously made in the region. Rather, Unculín is focussed on delivering an experience where the soul and energy of Valtuille and Bierzo are on full display. This is accomplished through utilizing the region's tradition of co-fermentation from some of the village's best vineyards.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There are many changes in the 2022 Unculín, as it fermented with 100% full clusters in 2,500-, 4,000- and 5,000-liter oak foudres where the wine matured for one year. This has given the wine more nuance and depth, gaining in complexity and harmony. It's more serious and is also dressed with a more formal label; it has contained ripeness and a low 12.8% alcohol, keeping the balance and freshness in this warm year when the wine shows an improvement. It's tasty and has very fine tannins.
-
James Suckling
A bright and lively red featuring fresh plums, currants and wild herbs on the nose, leading to a medium body with fine tannins. Juicy, exuberant and precise, with a delicious finish.
Primarily found in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras regions of Spain and in the Dão of Portugal (where it is called Jaen), Mencia is an early ripening, low acid grape that can produce wines of great concentration, complexity and ageability. And yet Mencia once suffered from a poor reputation and deemed capable of producing simple and light red wines. Post-phylloxera growers would grow this variety on low, fertile plains, which produced high yields and uncomplicated finished wines. Somm Secret—The recent rediscovery of the ancient, abandoned vines planted on rugged hillsides of deep schist has unveiled the potential of Mencia and added discredit to its old reputation.
One of the few northwestern Spanish regions with a focus on a red variety, Bierzo, part of Castilla y León, is home to the flowery and fruity Mencia grape. Mencia produces balanced and bright red wines full of strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, baking spice, pepper and black licorice. The well-drained soils of Bierzo are slate and granite.