Bierzo is a wine region in the northwest of Castilla y Leon, Spain, close to the region’s borders with Galicia (to the west) and Asturias to the north. The Bierzo viticultural area consists of two parts: Bierzo Alto (high Bierzo), a mineral-rich and mountainous terrain where terraced vineyards are sewn into the slopes, and Bierzo Bajo (low Bierzo), a wide and verdant plain. Bierzo was accorded DO status in 1989 and in the past few years has experienced a surge in popularity thanks to the high-profile winemaker Alvaro Palacios of Priorat fame establishing vineyards there. Bierzo’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean has a profound effect on its overall climate, with average temperatures during the growing season much cooler than in Castilla y Leon’s more inland areas, making it rather mild. The average rainfall is around 28 inches (720mm). Nevertheless, the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range in the north provides the vineyards with adequate shelter, ensuring that the local Mencia grapes achieve optimum ripeness to produce lively, fruity and often intense red wines. Like many other Spanish wines, these are categorized by the length of their maturation (including the time spent in oak barrels). Garnacha is another important red grape variety here and is primarily used in blends. Bierzo’s soil is different from that found in other parts of Castilla y Leon in that it contains a predominance of slate and granite. This favors the Mencia vines and helps them to produce wines with a distinct mineral character. The wines tend to be lighter in terms of alcohol and more refreshing than those from other parts of Castilla y León.
Organically farmed wines, low in sulfites, use indigenous, wild yeast. Their vineyards are planted with Mencía, Godello, and Doña Blanca varieties between 500 and 650 meters in loamy soils with high content of quartz sands. They cultivate 19 hectares of old vines, between 60 and 100 years, and also still plant new vineyards. Their way of working the vineyard is by hand, with minimal intervention, to optimally manage the climate and soil in order to regulate the potential of each vine.