Winemaker Notes
This seriously structured, ultra-ethereal, graceful red wine has flavors of wild raspberry fruits. An incredibly nuanced wine that defines elegance with its silky, mineral-driven tannins and everlasting finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 O Diviso is only the fourth vintage from a vineyard in the zone of As Ermitas. They have been recovering and replanting a 1.2-hectare plot with a field blend of Mencía, Garnacha, Mouratón and some Caíño to complete the 2.9 hectares that have been replanted. This fermented with indigenous yeasts in small oak vats followed by one year in oak foudres. It's only 13% alcohol and has soft acidity. For Pablo Eguzkiza, this wine is always different; it has more tension and is subtler, more serious, very long and with finesse, a more refined version of As Caborcas. This is their highest-altitude vineyard and the one they harvest last. The wine has restraint and complexity, the combination of old vines and a long cycle even in an early year like 2017. Production has been slowly growing, and even though 2017 was a low-yielding year, they managed to produce a record 1,170 bottles.
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.