Pittacum 2019

Pittacum was one of the first red wines produced in this group of splendid new Bierzo wines. Old vines on hillsides, rooted in deep, well-drained and quite fertile soils guarantee restrained strength and the ideal maturity. The winery spent fifteen years studying the qualities of different areas of their estates to find those with the best wine-producing possibilities and to appreciate the true potential of each corner of the landscape. Bunches of grapes are collected by hand and only the best grapes are selected to be vinified with extreme care and used to produce saignée wine which then ages in oak, sheltered from temperature changes in the stillness of the dark and cool wine cellar. Its time in the bottle smoothes the wine out and rounds off its youthful vigour. Pittacum has an intense Picota cherry colour and delights with a nose of blue flowers, ripe black plums, shrubland and the freshness of damp soil, tobacco and bay leaves, crumbling stones, and freshly-picked blueberries. Juicy and fresh on the palate with a glowing acidity and enveloping maturity, reminiscent of Indian ink, it fills the mouth with warm and measured tannins while it delights the tongue with a degree of complexity rarely seen in this price range. Just the right amount of dryness leads inevitably to a second sip and its natural freshness suggests it will pair well with many gastronomic dishes. It has a retronasal smell of elegant smoke and hints of fruit which is wilder and even more lively than the first taste. The wine has a certain resilient character reminding us of the first harvests, adding balance and elegance with every vintage. A contemporary reinterpretation of Bierzo wines, it does not hesitate to show the potential of a great grape like the Mencia which expresses itself openly and transmits the elegance of its contemplative ageing in wood. The Mencia can be tasted in every sip of Pittacum, as can the Bierzo landscapes, soils, and climate.