At this point, when we offer Envínate we expect a quick sell out. It's been amazing to watch the wines blow up.

We love traditional Rioja, Vega Sicilia and sherry, but beyond these we tend not to focus on Spain all that much. The wines of Envínate have really opened our eyes to what's possible in Spain, and the value it can offer.

In short, Envínate is producing some of the most exciting and honest wines coming out of Spain today.

Envínate is composed of Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez. They met in enology school and the Envínate project grew out of a consulting business. They produce wines from the Canary Islands, Galicia and Extremadura. The wines have garnered wildly positive reviews from people like Jancis Robinson and The Wine Advocate's Luis Gutierrez.

The Lousas Vinas de Aldea is from Ribiera Sacra in Galicia. The wine is mostly Mencía with some 10% made up of other red varietals (Merenzao, Brancellao, Caíño, Sousón, Mouratón, Alicante Bouschet/Garnacha Tintorera.)When you see pictures of Ribeira Sacra, which is located in Northwestern Spain, its potential is obvious. It resembles Côte-Rôtie with its ridiculously steep, terraced schist vineyards. Lousas Vinas de Aldea is a blend of different sites, but the majority of them are in Ribeiras do Sil, a subsection where the vineyards face north. You sense this in the wine's energy and cool profile.

The 2015 possesses a gorgeous texture, vibrancy and impressive precision. It's a wine that leaps out at you. The best comparison that I can come up with is that it reminded me of the suave purity that Foillard achieves with his Côte du Py. There's herbs, bright red fruits, floral notes and a deep streak of minerality.

Everything at Envínate follows old fashioned (and often costly) methods. The grapes are hand harvested and foot trodden. Whole clusters, native yeasts and open-top fermenters are used. Later the wines are aged in neutral barrels.

Envínate's wines are so compellng and so fairly priced that its impossible not to take notice. Everything that Envitate releases is tightly allocated and gets snapped up quickly. We expect this to disappear.

To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone

Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits

2015 Envínate Lousas Vinas de Aldea