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Gorvia Red

Gorvia Red

Gorvia Red is a single vineyard wine made by Bodegas Quinta da Muradella in the DO region of Monterrei. Just above the border of Portugal in northwest Spain, Monterrei is part of an area whose rich geology was once prized by the Romans for mining, notably gold. Ancient findings have confirmed that the Romans are responsible for another of the area’s treasures, vineyards. Winemaker and proprietor Jose Luis Mateo coined the vineyard name ‘Gorvia.’ The philosophy behind Gorvia is to produce a vino de finca (single vineyard wine) from the northwest side of the region, in the Pazos de Monterrei subzone, from grape varieties planted during the region’s third historic period in the 1980’s. All grapes are certified organic and the viticulture is biodynamic. Gorvia Tinto is made from Mencía, Caiño Redondo and Bastardo. Jose Luis and the highly respected Raul Perez, a consulting enologist, have done relentless work recuperating old vineyards and their efforts have shown the quality potential of the region’s grapes. Their wines have earned accolades from The Wine Advocate and Guia Peñin.

What makes this wine unique?

Estate owned grapes, biodynamic viticulture. Every variety is vinified separately. First vintage rated “Best Red Wine of Spain by Enoforum.” This wine speaks the language of this terroir in a balanced and elegant fashion.

Rating history:

2008 93IWC; 2006 94RP; 2005 92RP

Grape:

90% Mencía, 5% Bastardo and 5% Caiño Redondo, from a single vineyard. Vines have been planted at a density of 3,500 vines per hectare and yields are very low (1,500 kilos/hectare) to obtain concentration and complexity. The vines are trained on a two-wired trellis in the double cordon system. The vineyard is certified organic by CRAEGA (Consejo Regulador de Agricultura Ecológica de Galicia) and the viticulture is biodynamic.

Pairing Suggestions:

A great match for this wine would be roast duck with blackberry or wild cherry sauce, veal sausage with apples, or roast chicken with wild herbs. This wine also has the “cut” and structure to pair well with the caramelized flavors of grilled lamb or beef skewers.

Vinification and ageing:

There is a cool pre-fermentation maceration to increase the wine’s rich flavors and fullness on the palate followed by a long fermentation at cool temperatures in stainless steel tank. Then, the wine undergoes an extended maceration for 30 days to extract optimal phenolics before going into barrel. No filtration or clarification is utilized to retain the integrity of the wine’s aromas and flavors. The wine is aged for 14 months in 228-liter French oak barrels, 1-2 years old, and 11 months in bottle before release.

Production:

266 6-pack cases are made; 70 for the U.S.

Location, Soil, Climate:

The winery’s vineyards are located in Zone 1, towards the interior of Galicia, close to the Portuguese border. The Gorvia vineyard is 1.2 hectares (3 acres) at 460 meters (1,500 ft.) elevation, within the northern district of Pazos de Monterrei on the west side of the Tamega River. The soils are red clay and slate stone, situated on a medium slope with a 3% gradient and southern exposure. The climate is Atlantic with a Continental influence. Monterrei is one of the Galician appellations furthest from the Atlantic Ocean. This inland Continental setting brings a drier and warmer climate than western Galician regions. Here, there’s an average 23 inches of yearly rainfall; closer to the water in Rias Baixas, the average is 93 inches.

Tasting notes:

This wine offers an exceptional perfume of rose petal, raspberry, cherry blossom and spice box aromas. Elegant and silky on the palate, it has the texture of a fine Pinot Noir, with layers of sweet fruit and vibrant acidity.

Alcohol Content:

13.5%

UPC Code:

NO UPC CODE