César Márquez El Rapolao Bierzo 2024

“The 2024 El Rapolao is always more serious, austere and less floral than the other reds; it comes from a cooler place that tends to have more malic acid and hence more lactic notes after malolactic fermentation. It was sourced from a centenary plot in the coldest part of the village, where the soils are rich in iron and organic matter. It fermented with 25% full clusters in small 1,000-liter plastic bin with a shorter maceration of 15 days and an élevage in used 500-liter oak barrels. It comes in with 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.7 and 4.9 grams of acidity. It has a serious mouthfeel that is seamless and well-built, with abundant, slightly dusty tannins. This 2024 is rounder than the 2023, which was slightly more herbal. This will improve with time in bottle. 2,045 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2025..” 96+pts Luis Gutiérrez The Wine Advocate 10/26