Vanessa

9.1

Ribeira Sacra is a breathtaking region in Galicia, Spain, where the pigmented grape ‘Mencía’ plays a key role in winemaking, producing beautifully perfumed & ambrosial reds.

Just close your eyes & imagine steep slopes plunging down into deep river canyons, with historic terraced vineyards perched along the hillsides, gently curving & weaving along and above the Miño and Sil rivers.

Hopefully this helps paint a picture of Ribeira Sacra’s spectacular terrain but it’s worth searching for actual images (if you’ve never seen it).

The term ‘heroic viticulture’ aptly describes the type of farming that takes place here, where vignerons must perform all vineyard tasks by hand, risking life & limb, to bring these unique and authentic wines to our tables.

This 2019 ‘A Ponte’ is a prime example, thanks to Pedro Rodríguez of Guímaro (meaning “rebel” in Gallego), named after his grandfather with a nod to the fiercely independent & self-reliant local identity.

This wine is made with 30% Mencía accompanied by local, heirloom varieties Sousón, Brancellao, Merenzao, Caiño Redondo, & Caiño Longo) grown on granite, slate and sand.

After harvesting by hand, the grapes underwent a wild ferment using 100% whole clusters, contributing to the fruit-driven profile. This wine was then racked into large (and old) Burgundian oak barrels for about 14 months and bottled without fining or filtering.

The result is gulpably delicious, balanced, & complex. It is overflowing with expressive notes of muddled strawberry, ruby red grapefruit, leather, raspberry, plum, blueberry, mulberry, rhubarb sauce, rooibos tea, violet, bacon fat, forest floor, black cherry, black forest cake, fennel, black licorice, anise seed, and wet moss.

On the palate, it’s dry with an energetic acid profile, soft & fine tannins, medium alcohol (13% ABV), overall medium body, & a lingering finish.

This wine tells a story of heroism, history, & place. Not to mention it’s a highly versatile food-pairing wine, which begs for a shared meal with loved ones. Cheers! — a month ago

with Deked1

Kenta Hayashi

9.2

Going to go out on a limb and say it... Denis Mortet expression of Lavaux St Jacques is my favorite. Maybe on par with Rousseau for this particular plot. Cool, floral, blue/black berries with some restraint (2012s may be shutting down). Very good intensity, texture, and concentration. — 7 years ago

Matthew W.

9.2

Went out on a limb and picked up a small bottle of sherry. Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Sweet honey, raisin, a hint of vanilla, cedar and so smooth. — 3 years ago

Gene Buonviri

9.3

Stepping out on a limb. Golden color. Acidity enhances and cuts the slightly sweetness. A pure moment for reflection of raisins and ripe oranges. I can imagine sailing from Portugal to Panama while I enjoyed this excellent Madeira. Tropical! — 5 years ago

with Justinian

Ivets

10

So oaky. Tastes like you're biting into tree limb. Strong. Caramel aromas. No acidity. Creamy. — 7 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.7

You know what I like about Manfred Krankl? (“I’m going to go out on a limb and say ‘everything’?” is my wife’s sarcastic answer to my posed hypothetical). Well yes, but that’s not where I was heading tonight. What I was going to say is that I like that Manfred’s wines are thought provoking. And not just the wine itself, but also the ever-changing labels and names. Take this evening’s selection. Entre chien et loup is one of my favorite French expressions from my college French class days. Literally translated, it describes a specific time of day, just before night, when the light is so dim you can’t distinguish a dog from a wolf. But like most good French expressions, it delves much deeper. It’s all about that limit between the familiar and the unknown, the comfortable and the dangerous. Pushed to the extreme, it’s that fine line between hope and despair. Layers of meaning.

And the wine? Layers of flavor. As usual for an SQN white, a blend. Mostly equal parts Chardonnay and Roussanne with a touch of Viognier and Petite Manseng thrown in. Vibrant gold color. A vigorous four hour decant reveals a huge nose of peaches and apricots with a yeasty, buttery brioche note that just rings the bell. Palate of tropical fruits and a hint of burnt toast with that unctuous silky texture only Roussanne can provide. A butterscotch finish of great length. Dense concentration. Full-bodied. Wonderful structure. Positively elegant. Personally, I prefer my SQN whites with several years of cellar time, but hey, sometimes you just can’t wait. This is excellent now, but will get nothing but better with age.

Finally, that label? I’ll just say that the TTB approves and so do I and leave it at that. And speaking of the TTB, check out that banned label in the background. — 8 years ago

Paco Suro

9.3

I am going out on a limb but that was the best Rose of PN this summer. — 4 years ago

Will Bean

9.1

Super evocative wine. Lots of rocks, green bramble, intensity, and huge perfume. Didn’t know what to expect, but thoroughly enjoyed. — 5 years ago

Michael Wilson

9.2

Super interesting glou glou — 5 years ago

Eric Vishria

9.3

Man, love this. Could drink all day. Went on a limb and brought burgundy to a steak house. It’s hot out and this is just too easy. — 7 years ago