Bodegas Mengoba Estaladina is one of the finest examples of this rare grape variety, known locally as Pan y Carne. With ample dark red fruit, cherry and raspberry all perfectly balanced with fresh herbal notes and spicy black pepper it is a real showstopper. The fermentation is with 100% whole bunch and the wine is aged in concrete eggs for 10 months which ticks all the hipster boxes. This is a fantastic example of an Atlantic influenced red wine with old school graphite notes, tension and a breezy air of elegant charm and precision more commonly associated with Pinot Noir.

Bodegas Mengoba is owned and run by Gregory Perez who graduated from the school of Oenology in his hometown of Bordeaux, France before going on to work with Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Chateau Cos d’Estournel. Gregory had Bordeaux in his blood, but he was obsessed with the principals of terroir, biodiversity and organic viticulture which at the time, in the early noughties were not high on the agenda in Bordeaux. On the advice of a friend, Gregory relocated to the remote and relatively unknown northern Spanish region of Bierzo where he eventually established Bodegas Mengoba in 2007.

The Mengoba winery is in the town of San Juan de Carracedo and the vineyards are located thirty minutes north around the town of Espanillo. This is an area characterised by steep, rugged, south facing slopes which sit at between 600-850m above sea level. Hot days and cool nights along with constant air currents help produce grapes of amazing freshness and complexity. Gregory has several vineyard plots, all with their unique terroir but all farmed organically and in keeping with the local ecosystem. Although Mencia and Godello are the two main grape varieties, Gregory is also keen to use lesser-known local varieties of Dona Blanco and Alicante Bouschet (Garnacha Tintorera) along with Estaladina.