Bodegas Ronsel do Sil – Alpendre 2021 (750ml)

The Ronsel do Sil Alpendre Merenzao comes from some of the most intense slopes of the region, situated at 500-750 meters above sea level, and all from east facing mountainsides with a 50% slope. This dramatic terroir is full of granite and slate soils and 50 year-old vine Merenzao, which is the local name for the Trousseau grape. Hand harvesting is mandatory here, and can also be very dangerous, in order to get the grapes into the cellar for a natural fermentation in 2500 liter oak foudres. Once complete, the wine is placed into just a few neutral French barrels of 228 and 500 liters, for about 6 months before it is then bottled. The resulting wine is alive and expressive beyond description, with fresh and spicy aromas of red fruits that jump out of the glass, alongside a clear and distinctive elegance that somehow is captured in smell. The palate is long and seductive, with fresh raspberry and black cherry, hints of spice, and pretty dark flowers, with acidity to keep the mouth intrigued, and a finish that is complex and contemplative.