Bodegas y Viñedos Merayo, Las Tres Filas Mencia, DO Bierzo, Spain, 2022

Producer Profile

There is rather lovely balance of old and young at Merayo.

80 year old Mencia bush vines give their fruit to the young, dynamic winemaker Juan Merayo who then crafts wonderful wines full of fresh, perfumed characters and ripe red fruit evocative of Mencia. Everything is handpicked with the appropriate reverence for these octogenarian vines before the grapes receive careful temperature controlled ferments and sensitive use of French and American oak to ensure Juan creates the expressive wines he is looking for.

Viticulture

From vineyards planted with bush vines averaging 80 + years old, some up to 120 years old, with a yield of around 4500 kilos per ha.

Winemaking

Fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Aged for 6 months on its lees in American and French oak barrels.

Oak Ageing

Time: 6 Months
Type: French and American
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

Cherry red with violet hues. Intense, fresh, elegant nose where red fruit, strawberry and raspberry sensations dominate, as well as floral and violet notes. In the background, very well integrated vanilla, tobacco and minerals. Elegant and silky. On the palate it is fresh, with red fruit. Round, soft, silky tannin. Balanced acidity, freshness and varietal notes dominate in perfect harmony with wood flavours that give the wine complexity. The oak ageing is well integrated and very elegant.

Food Matching

Cured beef, roast turkey and lamb!