MAURICIO LORCA
WINERY & VINEYARDS – RIBEIRA SACRA, GALICIA & LEÓN, CASTILLA Y LEÓN, SPAINna
COOKING UP A NEW STORM IN SPAIN…
Ingredients:
One very talented winemaker from Argentina.
Two small vineyards in Ribeira Sacra, Galicia – Native varietals including Mencia Tintá, Merenzao (Bastardo / Trousseau), Sousón; Very old vines; Very steep slopes; Influence of two rivers, the Sil and the Miño; Influence of the Cantabrian sea.
One vineyard in Castilla y León – High altitude vines at 1,000 MASL; Semi-arid climate; Stony / limestone soils; Native varietals including Prieto Picudo, Albarín (NOT Albariño), Godello
Method:
Combine the winemaker’s decades of experience making fantastic wines in Mendoza, give him all the wonderful / difficult new challenges presented by two amazing wine regions in Spain, mature slowly for several years, add a generous sprinkle of enthusiasm from his UK importer (Ucopia Wines) and – Vamos!
Not quite fully content with a glittering winemaking career in Argentina that includes stints at Catena Zapata, Michel Torino and Luigi Bosca back in the early days, and having established his own successful bodega in Mendoza in 2002, Mauricio Lorca decided to spread his talented wings just a few years ago to start making wines in Spain. Mauricio is a fanatical mountain biker and some years ago he cycled the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostela. It was then that he discovered the spectacular vineyards of Ribeira Sacra in Galicia, with its viciously steep slopes and irresistible old, native vines. Imagine if you will the Douro Valley in a kind of unspoiled miniature but on two rivers, not one; or the brutal gradients of the Mosel’s vineyards and the charm of all those ancient drystone walls; but warmed up!
When Mauricio’s new neighbours in Spain met him and asked what he was up to there was much head scratching and a fair bit of bemusement. When they tasted the purity and freshness of his Spanish wines – new champions of these fabulous old varietals – they were stunned and seriously impressed. We went to visit Mauricio in Galicia at the beginning of the project a few years ago and he explained one of the key differences here compared to his operation in Mendoza. In Mendoza he has a talented team around him. In Spain he does pretty much everything himself! Maybe that’s just one of the many reasons why these wines are so damn good.
Calma Indómita Albarin (NOT Albariño)
Calma Indómita Prieto Picudo
Espíritu Indómito Godello
Viña Péon Mencia de Amandi
Camino Empedrado Rosado de Merenzao
Camino Empedrado Amandi Tinto
