La Perdida: Fantastic and Limited Wines from Valdeorras
12/2/19 -
Nacho Gonzalez makes wines that I struggle to compare to any others. They are certainly, by any definition, natural wines: in the vineyard, he works organically and incorporates some biodynamic practices, and in the cellar he uses no additives. Equally, they are certainly artisanal: Nacho produces a truly tiny amount of wine, from small vineyards of very old vines, many of which he has rehabilitated from a period of abandonment. He is also an innovator, employing tinajas (traditional Spanish clay amphorae - he obtains his from Juan Padilla, who also supplies COS and Foradori in Italy) and exploring the full range of grape varieties to be found in Valdeorras. All of this certainly makes La Perdida, Nacho Gonzalez, and the wines unique, but I often feel that there is something more that draws me to these wines every year.
Perhaps it is their peculiar intensity. They are far from the fullest-bodied, the most alcoholic or acidic, or the fruitiest wines that I have tasted, but as I look over my notes from sampling them this year I return to this word, which I think reflects their liveliness or, maybe, aliveness. Certainly, the use of clay, not adding sulfur, and the old vines all contribute to this, but I think there's something else as well that I find inspirational, exciting, and compelling that unites them - even if I can't quite put my finger on what it is.
The wines on offer today come from vineyards in and around Larouco that Nacho rents or owns and that he farms organically, with some biodynamic treatments. The vines are all very old, yields are very low (less than 2kg per vine!), and farming is careful, manual, and deliberate, with no use of synthetic chemicals. Vinification is with native yeasts, without fining, filtration, or any additions, and done exclusively in tinaja or large old barrel. Each cuvée comes from a single vineyard and from a single barrel or tinaja. The wines each have their own personalities, but are united by farming and production methods.
I wish there were more bottles to offer of these fascinating wines, but we are grateful to be able to highlight and offer what we can!
-Ben Fletcher
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As an addendum to Ben's text, I can only share my experience first with the wines, then of Nacho himself. The wines have always amazed me, with elegant rusticity, depth, fascinating herbal aromas, beautiful mid-palate material, and overall with their purity. Meeting Nacho informed my impression of the wines, as he is by far one of the most honest, humble and warm-hearted winemakers I've ever met. There is no ego to this man, just passion and dedication and a big smile. It's not always the case, but at times I feel wines are very much like the winemakers. Some wines can be meticulous and precise when the winemakers are serious and technical. Others can be a bit wild when the winemakers are more free-spirited or trusting of instinct over science. When wines are pure and enveloping, stricking to me, for example with the wines of Alice and Olivier De Moor, there is something I find in the wines that I also find in the beauty of their smiles. It may sound a bit poetic, but when there is a feeling of warmth, honesty, and gentleness felt around a winemaker, it's generally true they extend care and love to their land, their grapes and their wines. It's no wonder then, that the wines are so magical. With Nacho Gonzalez, I feel the same way. He is so selfless and disarmingly gentle that the wines are somehow imbued with this character! It's perhaps the same thing Ben can't put his finger on with how exceptional and unique the wines are.
These new releases are showing beautifully, and I think with a touch more precision and stability than some previous vintages that came to the US. The lighter, the more suitable for early drinking, but all worth some additional time in bottle.* We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
-Eben Lillie
* P.S. We would like to thank Liz Fayad and the whole Jose Pastor team for allowing the wines to age stateside for several months before sending them out. We often discuss here at Chambers Street how much we wish we could hold wines, as they can arrive on our shelf directly after bottling and shipping. It's hard for winemakers to hold stock, same for the importers and retailers, due to financial concerns. Because of this, it's common, especially with natural wines, that bottles are opened without ample time to settle and "harmonize" (a word many winemakers use to describe what happens in the months after bottling). In this case, we have, as Ben put it, truly artisinal wines, that have been given some time to rest, and are just beginning to bloom. Thanks!
