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Luis Rodriguez 'Escola' Tinto, 2017

$72.00
Luis Rodriguez 'Escola' Tinto, 2017

Luis Rodriguez 'Escola' Tinto, 2017

$72.00
description

Caiño, Brancellao, Ferrol

 

Luis Rodriguez established his bodega in 1988 with the goal of making terruño-driven wines from indigenous grape varieties, grapes like Treixadura and Caiño that were on the verge of extinction at the time. Luis has slowly accumulated 5 hectares comprised of nearly 100 micro-parcels, mostly located on the steep, southwest-facing, granitic hillsides of his hometown of Arnoia. Luis makes wine in the same cellar as his grandfather, where he utilizes native yeasts, judicious SO2, and practices élevage in mostly used, larger French oak barrels.

The Ribeiro D.O. is an ancient Galician wine region located 45 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean, just north of Portugal. Ribeiro had historically produced Spain’s most prestigious white wines, but in the early 20th century oidium, phylloxera, and war devastated the region and Ribeiro’s wines lost favor. Native vines were torn up, and Palomino was widely planted due to its higher yields. Cooperatives took over most of the production. By utilizing a mix of old-fashioned and modern winegrowing methods, Luis and a few others are responsible for the revitalization of artisanal Ribeiro winegrowing, and Luis’s vinhos tintos are considered to be the standard bearers for Ribeiro.

Escolma means “selection” in Gallego, and this vinho tinto is made from Luis’s lowest- yielding old vines on steep granite hillsides, and only produced in optimal vintages. The grapes were wild yeast fermented in new and used 300 liter French oak barrels, raised on the lees for 12 months in barrel, bottled without fining or filtration, and further aged in the bottle for 36 months before release. Escolma is a very complex and age-worthy medium-bodied vinho tinto with a balance between structured, wild red fruit, leather, spices, and earthy mineral flavors. A noble wine to pair with game, roasted meats, rich stews and braises.