2011 Lalama Ribeira Sacra

The 2011 Lalama is a blend of local reds (mostly Mencía, but also Brancellao, Mouratón and Garnacha Tintorera) that was fermented in a combination of 500-liter open barrels and foudres with indigenous yeasts. The wine matured in contact with the lees for 13 months in well-seasoned French oak barrels and a further seven months in 4,500-liter oak vats. It has a wild, slightly rustic perfume, that for me represents the slopes of the Bibei river with some aromas of sour cherries, earth and a leafy hint. The palate shows a creamy texture, it's medium-bodied and it feels young and lively, so there is no rush to drink it. It represents a fantastic introduction to the reds of the Bibei zone of Ribeira Sacra and it's a favorite in restaurants because of its very good price to quality ratio: I order it whenever I see it. Besides that, they release their wines considerably later than most wineries in the zone; in this case, after a long aging in oak it still rested for 16 months in bottle before it was sold, which means the wines have had time to settle down in bottle and polish some of the possible edges they might have shown in their youth.