The buzz about the Ribeira Sacra region is only going to get louder when people taste wines like this. The region seems to be spearheading a new direction in Spanish wine towards lighter, fresher, silkier reds with lower alcohol and an appetising dryness that makes them so versatile with food, showing more of an affinity with the textural fragility of Pinot Noir, for example, than the ‘oak soups’ that you often find in modern Rioja or the Ribera del Duero.

This is a fantastic introduction to Spain’s new bearing, which is really gathering pace in the ‘Atlantic’ appellations around Galicia, and I can't recommend it highly enough. The Lousas ‘Vinas de Aldea’ is Envinate's equivalent of a ‘village’ wine, in the Burgundian sense, sourced from 12 different parcels in various sub-regions of the Ribeira Sacra ranging from 20 to 60 years of age and located between 400 and 600 metres altitude on varied soils of slate and granite depending on the location.

The Vinas de Aldea 2023 is predominantly made from Mencia, with a few local varieties thrown in for good measure (Brancellao, Merenzao, Mouraton, Bastardo, Garnacha Tintorera), and the grapes were foot-trodden and fermented with whole-clusters (i.e. with the stems) in small open vats before transferring to 2,000 litre barrels for 11 months. It’s oh-so-fine and elegant and beautifully tailored to fit its shape. The aromas are pure and wild, suggestive of shiny cherry skins, fraises des bois and crushed purple flowers, while the flavours glide across the palate, evoking dark cherry, juicy red grapes, blood orange, a hint of white pepper (typical of Mencia) and a suggestion of cool minerals. It tastes best if you drink it slightly below room temperature. It’s an utterly beguiling Spanish red and you shouldn’t hesitate in snapping some up while stocks last, which they won't, because the total production is just 1,100 cases. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.

Organically farmed
Vegan-friendly

Press review:

The Wine Advocate: “I tasted a very promising barrel sample of the 2023 Lousas Viñas de Aldea, cropped from a more Atlantic, cooler and rainier year (especially when compared with the super warm and dry 2022). Right now, it's super primary and they are slowly introducing larger oak foudres (3,000 litres) and lowering the impact of the oak in the wine. This has very good freshness, purity and elegance, reminiscent of past vintages like 2021 or 2016. It has terrific balance.Drink now-2032.” (94-96) points

Customer comment:

“We tried the Lousas Vinas de Aldea over the weekend. It was quite delicious. In fact it was so good we drank a bottle on Saturday and opened another on Sunday. So clearly I am going to need some more.” - Mr. Q.J.