Telmo Rodriguez As Caborcas 2014 (95 WA)

“The reference for reds in Valdeorras is already on its fifth vintage with the 2014 As Caborcas. It was cropped from an average and healthy vintage for the region, from the same terraced vineyards planted with a mixture of old vines, mostly Mencía but also Merenzao (Trousseau), Sousón, Garnacha Tintorera, Godello and Brancellao. It fermented in a combination of stainless steel and 400-liter oak vats with wild yeasts and aged in large oak foudres for 15 months. It’s fascinating to be able to compare three single vineyard reds from a relatively small region and see how different they are. To me As Caborcas is the one that feels most obviously young and closed and needs more time in the glass (and possibly more time in bottle, too). After 30 minutes in the glass, the nose starts to take off showing subtle floral aromas, elegant, nuanced and intriguing. The palate is terribly balanced, with refined tannins within the rusticity inherent to the region, with great purity and a very tasty finish with the stamp of the granite soils. 2,530 bottles were filled in May 2016.” – Wine Advocate