Castro Candaz Mencia 2022

Castro Candaz is a small Ribeira Sacra project created by two important figures in northwestern Spanish wine, Raúl Pérez and Rodrigo Méndez of Forjas del Salnés. The partnership began with the 2014 vintage, focusing on old vineyards around Chantada and the Miño River and seeking a lighter, fresher interpretation of the region’s traditional red varieties. The project takes its name from Castro Candaz, an ancient fortified site overlooking the Miño near Chantada. Production remains small, with the wines emphasizing individual sites and the naturally Atlantic character of this cooler part of Ribeira Sacra.

Vineyards are planted on the steep slopes typical of Ribeira Sacra, where mechanization is difficult and harvesting is done by hand. Farming is organic, with fruit coming from several sites in the Chantada and Ribeira do Miño zones. Soils are predominantly granite and slate, with some clay and sand. Pérez and Méndez favor relatively early harvesting and restrained extraction, deliberately seeking freshness, moderate alcohol and fine tannins rather than dense, heavily extracted mencía.

The 2022 Tinto Joven is predominantly mencía based rather than strictly 100% mencía. Small amounts of traditional field varieties including domingo pérez, garnacha tintorera, mouratón, caiño and brancellao are usually part of the blend. The grapes are fermented whole cluster in large wooden foudres, followed by élevage in a combination of foudre and used 500 liter barrels. The neutral vessels and short élevage keep oak influence in the background and place the emphasis on fruit, herbs and the stony character of the vineyards.

The 2022 shows pomegranate, red cherry and darker berries, with wild flowers, herbs and a distinctly mineral, earthy edge. The palate is light to medium bodied and juicy, with bright acidity, fine slightly grippy tannins and little obvious oak. It finishes savory and fresh, making this a particularly lively, understated expression of Ribeira Sacra rather than a richer style of mencía.