Divina Clementia
- Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain
In 2011, Raul Suarez took over his family vineyards that date back four generations. Located in the Ribeiras do Miño subzone of Ribeira Sacra, Raul only has one hectare of vines and makes just one wine, a singular, very elegant Mencia. He farms organically, without the use of herbicides, and his yields are naturally low due to the old age of the vines. He makes the wine at Adegas Guimaro with the blessing of Pedro Pérez, an old friend, renting a small corner of his winery. The grapes are hand harvested, crushed by foot, and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks, aging for 13 months in used French Burgundy barrels, and subsequently in bottle for an extra couple of years before release. The name is a play on words between the name of the grape, Mencia, and the roman goddess of forgiveness and benevolence, Clementia.