Peixes Camándula

Peixes is the new project of Jesús Olivares and Curro Bareno, two of the three talented winemakers that make up Fedellos Do Couto (brats of Couto). Based in the stunning Ribeira Sacra in Galicia in northwest Spain, the brats make expressive, natural wines allowing the complex terroirs to shine. Jesús and Curro learned of some abandoned vineyards near the town of Viana Do Bolo in the southeast of Galicia and after having sampled some wine from a local producer, were determined to emulate the tasty drop. Thus Peixes was born; its wines being the embodiment of the surrounding Ourense terroir. From reclaimed, forgotten vineyards at altitudes of up to 850m, on steep terraced slopes, the metamorphic granite soils with high mica content supports a wide variety of indigenous grapes. Camándula is a blend of Sousón (60%) a dark skinned, high acidity grape plus varying amounts of Palomino, Dona Blanca, Godello, Bastardo, Garnacha Tintorera, Grao Negro, Mencia and Mouraton. A veritable cornucopia. The plots use a combination of organic and sustainable farming methods and all work in the vineyards is done by hand (exhibit A. steepness). The Souson is vinified separately to the field blend using whole grape clusters. Spontaneous fermentation triggered by natural yeasts occurs at low temperatures in plastic vats before the wine is transferred to neutral oak foudres to age for six months on its lees. It is then blended and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. Taste wise what does this produce? After the floral, red berried minerality we have a complex, intense wine with black and blueberries, a peppery stoneyness and smooth, firm tannins balanced by an acidic tang. The mouthwatering finish is long and rich with a rasher or two of smoked bacon thrown in. Operating in the world of brooding I would suggest.