Val do Galir Mencia, Valdeorras 2022
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91+
Wine Advocate
There’s also a change in name in the village red 2022 Val do Galir Mencía, from the higher part of the village where people have the red varieties, mostly Mencía but also other varieties, Brancellao, Sousón and Garnacha Tintorera. It’s floral and also has some herbal notes; it’s spicy with notes of fennel, with complexity that goes beyond the variety. There’s a big jump in complexity from the Maruxa Mencía, with more freshness. It fermented with one-third full clusters and indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and matured in 500-liter oak barrels for nine months. It has some notes from the élevage, spicy and smoky. The palate is medium-bodied and has fine tannins and a long, dry finish. 13,000 bottles were produced. It was bottled in August 2023.
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Val do Galir Mencia, Valdeorras 2023
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94
Vinous
The 2023 Mencía Val do Galir Éntoma originates from Entoma in Val do Galir, Valdeorras, where vines have been cultivated on slate terraces since 1998. This blend of 85% Mencía with 15% Garnacha Tintorera, Sousón, Merenzao and Brancellao offers a unique expression. Aromas of raspberry, elderberry, sanguine notes and hints of rose, pomegranate and black tea emerge, with a slightly volatile edge adding complexity. The palate is delicate yet compact, with a lean structure and lingering freshness. The 2023 strikes a rare balance of reductive finesse, ripe fruit and complexity.
The village red 2023 Val do Galir Mencía comes from two plots in the higher part of the village where people have the red varieties, mostly Mencía but also other varieties, such as Brancellao, Sousón and Garnacha Tintorera. It fermented with one-third full clusters and indigenous yeasts in 6,000-liter stainless steel and matured in used 500-liter oak barrels for seven months. It has a moderate 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.3 coupled with six grams of acidity. It has a lot more finesse than the entry-level red Maruxa Mencía. It’s floral, perfumed and more delicate, with good depth. It’s medium-bodied, with a fine and elegant texture. 13,000 bottles were produced. It was bottled in June 2023, two weeks before I tasted it.
A juicy, vibrant mencia that shows touches of wet earth, wild strawberries, crushed blueberries, minerals, white pepper and slate. Sour berries and cherries on the medium-bodied palate, with fresh tannins and a bright, fruit-conscious finish of good length. Drink now.
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