The label’s right about the “Viticultura Heróica”, I get vertigo just looking at google images of those incredible Ribeira Sacra vineyards. Looks like Dan Murphy’s have been busy sourcing some better Spanish bottles. This one is a great example of just how fine Mencia grown on those near vertical vineyards can be. Takes a while to open up in the glass but when it does it just gets better over two or so days. So clean and pure, there’s that perfume that takes me to the Nothern Rhône rather than Galicia. Violets and other florals, smoke and very ripe raspberries. Beguiling sweet minerals. Freshness and succulent balance in shape. Long pure flavours of red fruit, purple flowers and sweetest herbs bathed in a mountain stream. Great focus and evenness of ripeness carried on perfect acidity and tannin like wiping your finger across a wet slate. A weight of peerless fruit on a cloud. As a direct import it represents great value, especially compared how much a modern N Rhône would cost. Think I’ll have to go back for more, that’s two Murphy imports in a week of quality at good prices. Goodness, what’s next?
13% alcohol. Cork, alas. $27.
94 points.
A year or so later and several more bottles and this is just getting more delicious. Maybe more 93 than 94 as the ends tails away a bit. Nonetheless beautiful wine. Wonder if Dan’s will bring in another vintage as this is selling slowly and the poor quality corks are drying as the bottles stand upright and the stores warm.
Members’ special at Dan’s for $20 early June 2023 and another bottle looking very good indeed. Still showing beautifully ripe fruit and mouthwatering texture. Ridiculously delicious for the money, so drinkable. Yes, 93 points perhaps but so graceful.
A 2022 vintage didn’t quite reach such heights. More whole berried and a touch bubblegumy. Looks like a much hotter and maybe more difficult vintage? Bit clunky in the context of 2019 and 2021 being so good. Maybe 90 points at best?
Cognitive Bottle Therapy 
Thanks for putting me onto this wine and the Aurkitu Garnacha. Great value. Great wines! Excellent wine blog too btw.
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Thanks, Matthew. Yes, there are a few more good things at Dan’s.I do wonder if I should list the dodgy ones to avoid too. My favourite of the French bottles tried is 2018 Château d’Anglès classique La Clape. Beautiful consistently good across three bottles now. Cheers, Andrew
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Agree on La Clape, also a good buy. Tried the Coutada Velha Signature 2020 blend from Portugal this weekend. Middle weight with an appealing , almost rosy bouquet, and quite fruit forward. A flavour profile more conventional and familiar to most Australian palates I think, than the Almanova mencia and Aurkitu garnacha. Would appeal to many red drinkers but not what I’m looking for.
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La Clape was particularly good when on special for $18. I did try the Coutada but agree about the profile being jammy and over ripe, like a lot of mainstream Australian wine. Have you dared to try the Mil Historias range at Dan’s? I fell foul of the Garnacha, more Brett than you could poke a microbe at. By the way, thanks so much for the comments, cheers up my day.
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$23 Members Special at present so picked up a couple. Been a bit quiet around here of late, hope you’re travelling well Andrew.
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Good spotting at Dan’s. Hope it’s as good as my first bottle. Sorry about the lack of posts but old age caught up with me. Nothing it seems a great cardiologist can’t fix. Fully restored. Must start blathering on about wine again.
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There’s a proliferation of wine review sites but only a few have blather worth reading. Good to hear you’re back on deck and looking forward to the next missive.
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