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EL CASTRO DE VALTUILLE JOVEN 2019 BY CASTRO VENTOSA

A bottle and glass of El Castro De Valtuille Joven 2019 by Castro Ventosa set on a table with a salad about to be served.

The star behind El Castro De Valtuille Joven 2019 is the acclaimed Raúl Pérez, the bushy-bearded impresario from Spain’s Bierzo region. Our love of drinking this wine runs just as deep as Raul’s passion for making it. So much so, that a healthy chunk of each shipment goes directly to staff before it hits our website. 

Pérez has been named “Winemaker of the Year” by German publication Der Feinschmecker in 2014 and “Best Winemaker in the World” in 2015 by the French publication Bettane+Desseauve.

Castro Ventosa was founded by the Perez family in 1752 and the family owns the estate ever since. Bierzo is one of the only wine-producing regions in Spain where the average age of the vines are nearly 100 years old and the root stocks have been growing there for centuries. Have a look at the picture below. The trunk of the vine is thick and gnarled. The roots of these vines go very deep bringing all the minerality up from the soil in to the fruit.

Pérez has been named “Winemaker of the Year” by German publication Der Feinschmecker in 2014 and “Best Winemaker in the World” in 2015 by the French publication Bettane+Desseauve.

Raúl Pérez has a high-energy hit on his hands—a refined Bierzo that showcases technique and terroir in equal measure—packed into a $18 package.

Drinking perfectly right now, however, its tight tannins and racy acidity will bring you aging potential of at least a decade, a rarity for reds at this price point.

If you are a lover of high-energy reds—fruity, easy-to-drink wines that nevertheless deliver profound minerality—this bargain-priced bottle is a perfect fit.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

91 Points
Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media, June 2021

91 Points
Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate, June 2020

EL CASTRO DE VALTUILLE JOVEN 2019 BY CASTRO VENTOSA: CHARACTERISTICS

BODY /  STYLE / OAK / Light-Medium bodied / Juicy, Fruity / Unoaked

SWEETNESS / Extra Dry

CELLARING / Drink now or Cellar

BEST PAIRINGS / Hard Cheese, Pasta, Red Meat, Vegetables

TASTING NOTE / Fresh, mineral-tinged redcurrant and cherry scents show very good clarity and a subtle floral overtone.  Tangy, focused and pure on the palate, offering intense flavors of bitter cherry and red berry preserves.  Shows a light touch that’s quite pinot-like, along with a touch of smokiness that carries through a long, mineral-driven finish.  If you want to show somebody what mencia smells, feels and tastes like, serve this one.

Castro Ventosa vineyard showing gnarled and thick, 100-year-old vine trunks.
THE PRODUCER: BODEGAS CASTRO VENTOSA

A LITTLE HISTORY

The Perez family owns 75 hectares of Mencía vineyards in Bierzo making them the biggest owners of this varietal within the Bierzo D.O. The Bierzo appellation is made of 5000 hectares with 2500 ha planted with white varietals and 2500 ha planted with Mencía and there are 5000 landowners within the appellation.

Bierzo is in a small valley surrounded by mountains. This exceptional geographical position gives the area a specific microclimate. The low altitude prevents frost in winter and the warm summer months provide ideal conditions to grow exceptional vines. The soil is a mixture of quartzite and slate.

The winery is situated in the village of Valtuille de Abajo at the foot of the slope of the Castro, the ruin of an ancient Roman fort that dominates the village of Valtuille de Abajo. Some of Castro Ventosa’s vineyards are planted on that same hill just around the ruins, the name Castro Ventosa means ‘The Windy Castle’. The Valtuille is made from five parcels situated in Valtuille de Abajo with pre-phyloxeric vineyards that are located on the only sandy soil found in Bierzo.

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