Cesar Marquez, Parajes de Bierzo 2021

Hand harvested. All plots are fermented separately with native yeasts in open barrels of 225L or 500L.
Depending on the plot, from 15% to 100% whole cluster. Maceration and fermentation last from 15 to 60 days with no
temp control. Very delicate handling of the ferments, either very light wetting of the cap or very delicate punch downs.
After fermentation, wines are aged in 225L and 500L barrels of 4 to 7 years old for one year. No racking during this year.
After one year, the wines are blended.

Young winemaker Cesar Marquez has deep family roots in the Bierzo region. His introduction to winemaking was via uncle Raul (Perez). And as an apprenticeship has worked in the family wineries, and spent time in Mendoza with the Michelini brothers. For his own project, started in 2015, he is exploring the possibilities of a Burgundy-inspired classification system in Bierzo. He works a number of parcels of over 100 year old bush vines around Valtuille de Abajo. The winemaking in all his reds is quite similar, aiming to express the origin of the grapes over the winemaking process. In a nutshell, Mencia grapes plus a little Garnacha Tintorera which grows in between are partially destemmed and fermented in open barriques. Post-fermentation macerations are normally quite long, after which, all wines spend 12 months in old barrels without any racking or top ups before being released the following winter. Each has a different expression based on their soils, altitudes and expositions. His fresh, expressive Mencias show the promise of this grape in the right place and hands.

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