Viticultura de Montaña, Castrillón 2012 (75 cl.)

Many vineyards contain grapes that are not contemplated in the appellation so José Luis declassifies those wines and sells them without the appellation's back label, like with the 2012 Castrillon which is produced from a single vineyard that was planted between 60 and 80 years ago on slate soils, with a mixture of grapes, both red and white, like it was the norm in the old times, Mencía, Bastardo,Tinta da Zorra, Garnacha Tintorera, Gran Negro and Verdello (the local name used for Godello). As these 'viticultura de montaña' wines, it was foot trodden in an open wood vat where it macerated with the skins for three months and it remained there for a further six months before being transferred to barrel where it matured for some 13 months before being bottled. Aromatically it's the most intense of these 'Viticultura de Montaña' bottlings mixing notes of flowers, wild berries, mint and hints of spirity, Calvados-like aromas. It is quite complex, different and attractive. The sharp, vertical palate has flavors of acidic red fruit plus very fine-grained tannins leading to a slightly bitter end. This is red full of character; a little wild and undomesticated. 1,300 bottles produced.