Appellation: Ribeiro.
Cuvée: Boas Vides.
Colour: Red.
Grapes: Brancellao, Caiño Longo, Caiño da Terra, Sousón, Ferrón, Espadeiro, Carabuñeira.
About: Antonio’s first and only red wine, just 1200 bottles made in the first year, 2016, made from what is here a classic blend of local grapes and which truly reflects the great traditions of this region. The name of the Cuvée means simply good vines.
Vines
Location: near S.Lourenzo da Pena, near Ribadavia, meaning on the banks of the river Avia, in the Ribeiro region 70km inland from the Atlantic Ocean, from three plots.
Size ha: 1.
Age: vines planted in 2005 by Antonio on a terrace built in the twelfth century.
Soils: loam and sandy.
Exposition: south-west.
Altitude: 200-300m.
Training: some on wire, some in vaso (gobelet).
Farming: organic and biodynamic.
Average yield hl/ha: 20.
Climate: Atlantic, cold in winter, hot in summer, humid , cool, fresh nights.
Winemaking
Hand harvested, de-stemmed but not crushed and made in stainless steel and plastic, using natural yeasts, no additives, light addition of sulphites before fermentation, after malo, and at bottling, aged in two year old French oak 300L and 500L barrel for 12 months, then another six months in stainless before bottling without fining or filtration.
Vintage Notes 2016
A difficult year due to combination of heat and humidity.
Yield hl/ha: .
Harvested: September 30 to October 5.
Bottles produced: 1200.
Date bottled: 2018-05.
Alcohol %: 11.9.
SO2 Total: 55.
Tasting: a lovely, unusual wine, with very dark fruit aromas, very mineral and fresh, clean, clear, both vegetal and very ripe. Cool acidity propels this wine, with broad sturdy tannins.
Vintage Notes 2017
A warm and dry year.
Yield hl/ha: .
Harvested: September 15 to 20.
Bottles produced: 1500.
Date bottled: 2019-05.
Alcohol %: 14.
SO2 Total: 0.
Tasting: rich sweet black fruit, almost chocolate-rich, yet still possesses cool acidity which drives the wine, clean, clear, and with big round tannins.