{"product_id":"winemaker-veronica-ortega-el-bierzo-spain","title":"WINEMAKER: VERONICA ORTEGA - EL BIERZO, SPAIN","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINEMAKER: VERÓNICA ORTEGA \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eEL BIERZO, SPAIN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e$225 PER PERSON\u003cbr\u003e3 COURSE DINNER + 8 WINES\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Ortega La LLorona 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Ortega Tormenta 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Ortega Roto 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVernoica Ortega Quite 2022\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Ortega Version Original 2024\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Ortega Cobrana 2022\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Ortega ROC 2022\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeronica Ortega Careo 2024\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBIERZO’S OLD VINES, TRANSLATED THROUGH A BURGUNDIAN LENS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVerónica Ortega is one of the key modern winemakers in Bierzo\u003c\/strong\u003e, in northwestern Spain. She is originally from Cádiz in southern Spain, but after working in several major European wine regions she settled in Bierzo and built her own project around old-vine \u003cstrong\u003eMencía\u003c\/strong\u003e and local white varieties. Her winery is based in Carracedelo, León. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer résumé is unusually strong: she worked with \u003cstrong\u003eÁlvaro Palacios and Daphne Glorian in Priorat\u003c\/strong\u003e, then spent time in Burgundy at \u003cstrong\u003eDomaine de la Romanée-Conti and Domaine Comte Armand\u003c\/strong\u003e, along with experience in the Rhône and elsewhere. That Burgundy influence is useful for understanding her style: she treats Mencía less like a grape for big, extracted Spanish reds and more like Pinot Noir—a transparent vehicle for vineyard, soil and altitude. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShe began her own project in Bierzo around \u003cstrong\u003e2010–2012\u003c\/strong\u003e, working particularly around \u003cstrong\u003eValtuille de Abajo and Cobrana\u003c\/strong\u003e. Many of her vineyards are tiny parcels of very old vines—often 70+ years old—on combinations of \u003cstrong\u003eslate, sand and clay\u003c\/strong\u003e, with some sites reaching roughly 750 meters elevation. Farming is organic and the winemaking is deliberately low-intervention, with restrained sulfur and vessels including large wood, stainless steel and clay amphorae. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTHE WINES : \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eROC\u003c\/strong\u003e is probably her flagship Mencía. It comes from old vines and is a more structured, serious expression: floral, mineral, savory and elegant rather than heavy. The wine is named in tribute to her late brother Roberto. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOBRANA\u003c\/strong\u003e is especially interesting. It comes from high-elevation old vineyards around the village of Cobrana and is predominantly Mencía with small amounts of traditional white grapes planted among the reds. It tends to be very fragrant and delicate—red berries, violet, herbs, mineral character and extremely fine tannins. A Guardian tasting described the style as remarkably graceful and Atlantic in feel. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eQUITE \u003c\/b\u003eis generally the more approachable introduction to Ortega: fresh, bright Mencía emphasizing fruit, acidity and drinkability rather than extraction. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eKINKI \u003c\/b\u003egoes even further toward the light, energetic end of the spectrum—crunchy fruit, freshness and a somewhat irreverent natural-wine personality. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer whites are also important. \u003cb\u003eCAL \u003c\/b\u003ewas a remarkable single-vineyard Godello grown on one of Bierzo's very rare limestone sites and made using amphora and barrel. She ultimately had to discontinue it after the vineyard was sold, which has made older bottles particularly interesting. She also makes Godello-based wines such as \u003cstrong\u003eLa Llorona\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eTormenta\u003c\/strong\u003e, depending on vintage and availability. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat makes her especially compelling is that she represents the \u003cstrong\u003enewer intellectual direction of Spanish wine\u003c\/strong\u003e: old vineyards, indigenous varieties, restrained extraction, less obvious oak, village\/site expression and wines built around freshness rather than sheer power. She is essentially taking the raw material of historic Bierzo and interpreting it through a Burgundy-informed lens. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NY Vintners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48593310056693,"sku":null,"price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0480\/4476\/9429\/files\/unnamed_95e4d85d-04c5-4059-bbca-3308a9975028.jpg?v=1786732576","url":"https:\/\/shop.newyorkvintners.com\/products\/winemaker-veronica-ortega-el-bierzo-spain","provider":"NY Vintners","version":"1.0","type":"link"}