Our search for a red wine with loads of classy fruit but driven by brightness and citrus freshness took us into the mountains of central Spain, home to some of the most exciting wine producers on the planet. This may challenge your understanding of what a red wine can be, but its purity and intensity will open your eyes... Castro Ventosa was founded in 1752 by the Pérez family and has remained in their hands ever since. Today Raul Perez is the consultant winemaker, the very same place he took his first steps in the wine world as a teenager. Castro Ventosa wines are lovely examples of Mencía at its best, the result of careful and dedicated work in the vineyard and a mostly hands-off approach in the cellar. Castro Ventosa has always had a very traditional profile, but they are adapting to the new categories from the Bierzo appellation. They are focusing on their vineyards and using larger barrels, turning their style toward more freshness in the wines. The wines are the result of ancient vines that have been passed down from generation to generation. They have around 60 hectares of vineyard in the village of Valtuille de Abajo, 80% of these vines are well over 50 years old. Today Castro Ventosa reflects the more traditional spirit of winemaking in harmony with the inherited experience from the many family generations of the Pérez family the winery has been in the hands of. The vineyard is located on the hills of the village of Valtuille de Abajo, there are about 300 plots all sitting on slightly different soils and orientations, making the most of the diversity that then shines through in their wines.