Guímaro Camiño Real 2020

Crítica

2019 > 94+ puntos
Camiño Real was a path from Doade to Castro Candelas only suitable for horses, not for carriages, that was said to have been used by the kings, hence the name, which means "royal path." The 2019 Camiño Real is a red to close the gap between the young unoaked wine and the reds from the single vineyards. It was produced with grapes from old vines in Amandi combining orientations, altitudes and soils. It's around 80% Mencía and the rest local grapes intermixed in the old vineyards that are always field blends—Brancellao, Merenzao, Sousón, Caíño… It fermented with some 60% full clusters in troncoconic oak vats with indigenous yeasts and a total maceration time of 45 days. The wine matured in a combination of 500-liter oak barrels and 5,000-liter oak vats for 10 to 12 months. It has a beautiful nose with floral notes, hints of fresh meat and great nuance and complexity. It's medium-bodied with very fine tannins, somewhat ethereal, like a weightless Côte-Rôtie. This has to be the finest vintage for this bottling. This was the only red I didn't taste from 2020 as it had not yet been bottled. This wine is a true bargain, and in this great vintage, they produced a little bit more, some 25,000 bottles. It was bottled in June 2020. - Issue 259 End of February 2022, The Wine Advocate -
2018 / 94 puntos
The other red, first produced in 2016, the 2018 Camiño Real was produced with grapes from old vines (over 50 years old) in vineyards in Amandi, one of the subzones of Ribeira Sacra, combining orientations, altitudes and soils. It could be around 80% Mencía and the rest local grapes intermixed in the old vineyards that are always a field blend, with Brancellao, Merenzao, Sousón, Caíño… They fermented with some 60% full clusters in troncoconic oak vats with indigenous yeasts and a total maceration time of 45 days. The wine matured in a combination of 500-liter oak barrels and 5,000-liter oak vats for 10 to 12 months. It has a super-explosive nose that is floral and perfumed—an explosion of violets. In 2018, they have managed to get the fresh profile they wanted, using less barrique and more vat. It has a vibrant palate, with pungent flavors, great freshness and fine minerality. This is hands-down the best Camiño Real, getting close to the quality level of some of the single-vineyard bottlings. It's one of the wines from the new official category called Viño de Garda (vin de garde). This overdelivers in 2018, and it's an incredible value, one of the best in the appellation! One to buy by the case. 20,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2020. - May 2020 Week 2, The Wine Advocate -