Textured and subtly sweet on entry there are saline notes together with a little phenolic grip on the finish, adding up to a wine with terrific cut and thrust. Amazingly, it’s almost bone dry by the time you have swallowed your first sip! A beautifully balanced and delicious wine that would work with a wide range of food from cheeses (like Comte and Ossau-Iraty) to grilled pork chops, glazed chicken or even Thai coconut curries.
In 1923, Dr Vicente Álvarez-Villamil bought Bernabeleva, an estate in San Martín de Valdeiglesias (Madrid). It is located at the foot of the Cerro de Guisando and the Gredos mountains and adjacent to the Tórtolas stream that formed the border of two Roman provinces: Lusitania and Tarraconense.
For decades, Dr Álvarez-Villamil’s descendants have fondly taken care of the old vines he planted, with the intention of someday producing quality honest wines.