2022 Envinate, Ribeira Sacra, Lousas Vina Aldea

Envínate literally translates to “wine yourself,” which is a concept we can get behind! Directly after graduating enology school in 2005, four friends – Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martinez – embarked on a mission with Envínate: to create wines of profound purity and unwavering focus and show the heights of what can be done with hard work and dedication in these previously unheralded terroirs. Their dedication extends to the very heart of their vineyards, where they employ extraordinary measures to ensure health and vitality. Focusing on the venerable old vines of the Canary Islands and Ribeira Sacra, they produce some of Spain's most graceful and articulate wines. They do not use chemicals in the vineyard and rely solely on native yeasts for fermentation, their wines speak authentically of their origin. Envínate stands as a beacon of the new wave of Spanish winemakers, particularly along the Atlantic coast, masterfully capturing the essence of their unique terroirs in wines that are an unadulterated pleasure. Their versatility with a wide range of food makes them especially well-suited for the dinner table, but some can also be great for cocktails. These wines brim with unique character and provide a ton of pleasure. The Envínate philosophy is simple: let each parcel fully express itself in the finished wine by utilizing old-fashioned farming and winemaking methods. This wine is a blend of many plots across Ribeira Sacra that are mainly (~85%) Mencía, with Brancellao, Merenzao, Mouraton, Grao Negro, Garnacha Tintorera, and other indigenous varieties (white and red) co-planted. Mencia is a really special grape, and this wine is a great introduction to it. The plots used for this wine are in the Amandi, Ribeiras del Sil and Quiroga regions of Ribeira Sacra and range in elevation between 400 and 600 meters. The vines are 25 to 60 years old, and the majority of the soils are gneiss, with some granite and slate.