Bierzo

Bierzo is a compact DO in northwest Spain where the Mencia grape produces some of the country's most exciting red wines on steep, terraced vineyards of slate and clay soils, long overlooked until winemaker Alvaro Palacios moved here in the early 2000s. The best wines come from ancient pergola-trained vines in the Corullon and Valtuille de Arriba villages, producing elegant, Burgundy-like wines with bright red fruit, herbal notes, and compelling mineral depth. Bierzo has become one of Spain's most exciting wine regions for collectors.