Guímaro Finca Meixemán 2014

The 2014 Finca Meixeman is the only vintage I tasted of this single vineyard red from a 70-year-old vineyard planted (in the 1940s) with a Mencía-based field blend that also includes a myriad of other varieties that make up some 20% of the total volume—Caíño, Sousón, Brancellao, Merenzao (Trousseau), Negreda, Garnacha Tintorera or Mouratón. The soils have schist, but there's also a part of granite. It fermented in closed oak foudres with some 55% full clusters with long macerations; it was then pressed, kept for five months in the 5,000-liter foudres and then transferred to 225- and 500-liter oak barrels to complete some 18 to 20 months élevage, so this is always bottled later. They are still using some of the first barrels, and the oak is quite neutral. 2014 is a very balanced vintage, and the wine is subtle and elegant within the natural power of the zone. This is a very balanced wine year in, year out, as there are different expositions and soils in the vineyard—one warmer and the other one cooler—and they tend to compensate each other in both cool and warmer years. But, this 2014 was showing particularly well, spicy and tasty. There were some 5,000 bottles of this 2015. It was bottled in June 2016.