Cuatro Pasos is a fresh, appealing red made purely from Mencía, a grape with echoes of Pinot Noir. The variety is renowned for its vibrant red fruit, floral notes and silky texture, both of which abound in this new red from Bierzo, northwest Spain.
Nearly all of the Bierzo region is dedicated to the Mencía grape, which after decades of producing wines on the tart side of fresh, has now shown its true colours. It makes wines at both ends of the spectrum - young and vibrant with bright red fruits, or from higher, lower yielding sites, more intense, earthy weightier notes, but still with a seam of minerality. This is an elegant, bright red from Katia Álvarez, one of Spain's top female winemakers. She is head of winemaking at Bodegas Cuatro Pasos, a winery named after the four paw marks of a bear discovered in their Mencía vineyards. The winery is proud to support a charity that helps to protect this near-extinct animal. Serve this charming lighter-style red cool with food or solo.
