Losada, Diego (La Senda) 2018 Bierzo Tinto "1984"

1984 is a faithful expression of Bierzo Mencía from 3 organically farmed plots of old vines (around 60 years old) at around 650m in elevation in the appellation’s southwest. These are some of the highest elevation vines in the Bierzo appellation: the climate here is somewhat humid, and the soils are dominated by quartz, iron and slate rather than the clays of the valley floor. The grapes for the 2018 were harvested by hand in the second week of September, partially destemmed, and allowed to ferment and macerate on their skins for 3-4 days before being pressed into old French oak barrels for 7 months to rest. The finished wine was bottled without fining or filtering, and there was no sulfur employed in the winemaking. 1984 shows the terrific tension between power and delicacy that Bierzo wines can embody: the nose is enticing and friendly with black and red fruits and earth while the palate is all cherry and black raspberry framed with brisk acidity, gently structuring tannins, and notes of black tea, bergamot, and clove. Really lovely and an incredible bargain. Ben Fletcher

Losada, Diego (La Senda) 2018 Bierzo El Aqueronte

El Aqueronte is a very special vineyard of Mencía (90%) and Alicante Bouschet/Garnacha Tintorera (10%) in the northern part of Bierzo around 500m in altitude. This area’s soils are mostly clay, but here, at the top of the hill, there is a substantial portion of limestone mixed in. This is the driest and most remote of the vineyards that Diego Losada works with and one of the oldest, with vines averaging 70-90 years. In 2018, El Aqueronte was harvested by hand in early September, immediately before the grapes for 1984, and the grapes were partially destemmed and fermented on their skins in chestnut vats before resting in old French oak barreles for 11 months. As with his other wines, Diego bottles without fining or filtering, and there is no sulfur added to wines. El Aqueronte shows notes of dark berries, anise, fresh earth amid other herbal and spice notes. On the palate, there’s ripe blackberry, fresh raspberry, and a vein of chalky minerality wrapped in well-knit tannins and refreshing acid. A unique expression of Bierzo terroir that opened beautifully over an hour or two. Ben Fletcher 

Losada, Diego (La Senda) 2018 Bierzo Tinto La Barbacana

La Barbacana is a special vineyard of old vines (100+ years) of Garnacha Tintorera (90%) and Mencía (10%), and Diego Losada spoke of it reverentially. It is isolated: deep in the remote southwestern mountains of Bierzo, almost in Galicia, next to an old 13th century ruin and an ancient Roman mine. But it is also unique for its elevation: at 650m, Diego did not harvest until the third week of October in 2018, just as the first snow was starting. And of course, there’s the soils: lots of quartz, iron and slate, but also deposits of gold below the surface that prompted the Romans to mine the area in the first place. In terms of cellar work, La Barbacana is treated similarly to the other wines: hand harvested, partially destemmed, macerated on the skins in chestnut vats for 2-4 days, then rested for 10 months in chestnut barrels before bottling without fining, filtering, or any additions. On opening, the nose shows earthy, meaty, spicy character against abundant red cherry and overripe strawberry notes. The palate is deeply mineral and earthy with tannins that recall dusty leather and ample acidity enveloping delicate, pure red fruit notes of strawberry, cherry, and raspberry. The evolution in the glass is striking, as the wine shifts its emphasis from minerality, to earth, to fruit over the course of a few hours.  Ben Fletcher

Losada, Diego (La Senda) 2018 Bierzo "In Absentia"

Diego Losada is very excited about Trousseau’s potential in Bierzo: he told me that he’s fallen in love with the variety and how it handles the warming climate of Bierzo. In Absentia is from vines of Trousseau (or Bastardo, as some call it) mixed in with plantings of Mencía, Godello, and other varieties in the northern part of the appellation, on clay-calcareous soils. Diego harvests the Trousseau by hand separately but simultaneously with the other red grapes in these vineyards. The grapes ferment and macerate on their skin for 2-4 days; the wine rests for 11 months in used French oak barrels before bottling without fining, filtering, or any additions. This is the only wine I have not yet gotten to try from Diego this year, so I will have to report back to you with tasting notes (needless to say, I’m really looking forward to it). Ben Fletcher