Peixe da Estrada, Peixes 2020

Galicia, Spain

Field Blend: Mencía, Mouraton, Grao Negro, Garnacha Tintorera, Bastardo, Godello, Doña Blanca and Palomino

Juicy and fresh with notes of blackcurrant, red flowers and a hint of spice. This wine absolutely over delivers at its price point.

Whole bunch fermented with 2 months maceration in open tanks before being aged for 12 months on the lees in 500l and 3000l neutral French oak foudre.

Peixes 

Peixes is the most recent project of Jesús Olivares and Curro Bareño (also behind Fedellos de Couto in Ribeira Sacra and Ca' di Mat in Sierra de Gredos). Curro and Jesús discovered old vineyard sites around the town Viana do Bolo, which is almost encircled by Valdeorras but not part of the DO. Located at 600-850 metres above sea level, these are some of the highest vineyards in Galicia . At this altitude the grapes don’t ripen easily and many of the sites had been abandoned.  The 60-80 year-old gobelet trained vines grow along sinuous stone terraces. They are field blends of Mencía, Mouraton, Grao Negro, Garnacha Tintorera, Bastardo and Sousón which include 10-15% of white varietals Godello, Dona Blanca, Colgadeira and Palomino. Farming is a mix of organic and sustainable. Jesús and Curro work six hectares themselves, by hand, and with growers who manage a further two hectares. The winemaking is quite hands off: they use whole clusters, long macerations and cool fermentations with indigenous yeasts. Wines are matured in large neutral oak and bottled without fining or filtration.