Dominio do Bibei Ribeira Sacra Lalama 2020
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Parker
Robert
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Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with white meats and spicy dishes.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the more reliable, affordable and available reds from Ribeira Sacra, the 2020 Lalama has the wild, herbal and spicy character, the berry fruit and balsamic notes from the Mencía (which is 85% of the wine) and the tasty palate with some sweet fruit and spice flavors. It lingers in your mouth after you swallow.
Other Vintages
2018-
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Robert
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Robert
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Robert
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Robert
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Robert -
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Spirits
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Spirits
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Javier's vision of austerity and respect for the history of the land is reflected in the winery and its simple design. Gravity rules. There are no stainless steel tanks; wood or cement are the vehicles of choice and they come in all the different sizes. The idea is to return to the past to rediscover what was once here. The wine maker Laura Lorenzo has similar ideas. She follows many of the ideas of biodynamic viticulture to obtain the purest expression of this terruño.Planted on these terraces are old vines of Mencía, Garnacha, Brancellao and Mouraton. New plots are being planted using cuttings from these old vines so as to maintain clonal diversity in the vineyard. In addition to the red varietals, there are plantings of white grape varieties such as Doña Blanca, Godello and Albariño (the cuttings of this last grape being from Do Ferreiro). The sites vary greatly because of the orientation of the plots and the soil types. Because this is a transition zone which touches Valdeorras, you have soils of slate, granite and clay interspersed among the hillsides.
Primarily found in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras regions of Spain and in the Dão of Portugal (where it is called Jaen), Mencia is an early ripening, low acid grape that can produce wines of great concentration, complexity and ageability. And yet Mencia once suffered from a poor reputation and deemed capable of producing simple and light red wines. Post-phylloxera growers would grow this variety on low, fertile plains, which produced high yields and uncomplicated finished wines. Somm Secret—The recent rediscovery of the ancient, abandoned vines planted on rugged hillsides of deep schist has unveiled the potential of Mencia and added discredit to its old reputation.
Located in the center of the Galician region in northern Spain, the Ribeira Sacra is one of Spain's most beautiful vineyard areas with stunningly breathtaking views. Vines are planted in the steep valleys and precipitous gorges of the Rivers Miño and Sil that wind through Galicia's lush green countryside. The Ribeira Sacra region has similar dramatic landscapes as the Mosel or Douro Valleys, but a more sparse population and a tranquility unmatched. The region gained official DO status in 1996.
Both white wine and red wine production are dominated by blends of local Galician grapes, with varietal wines being the exception. Today, while the region has seen some consolidation and modern stainless-steel equipment is widespread, winemaking remains artisanal. This reflects the tiny landholdings and farmhouse wineries, along with a traditional and predominantly organic approach to viticulture. With such low yields and often minuscule production levels, these wines are highly sought-after and can be difficult to find on the export market.
Ribeira Sacra DO’s principal white grape varieties tend to be highly fragrant and include Albariño, Doña Blanca, Godello, Loureira, Torrontés and Treixadura. Principal red grape varieties here include Mencía, Brancellao, Merenzao, Caiño, Sousón and Tempranillo.