Abadía da Cova is a fourth-generation family winery with vineyards set in the vertiginous, terraced, slate-and-granite slopes of Ribeira Sacra, southeast Galicia. The principal red variety here is mencía. 'Cepa Vella' (“old vines”) is from organically-farmed 100% mencía, fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. The wine has spicy red fruits and is light on its feet, with plenty of acidity and very moderate tannins. It's easy to like but not without dimension, at least in part because of the older vines. This is still quite recognizable as Ribeira Sacra mencía, but in a lighter frame (compared to, say, the Envínate 'Lousas Viñas de Aldea' that we featured a couple of months ago). It's a nice companion to pork-and-fruit preparations. 20-30 minutes in the fridge accentuates its brightness.
