Gregory Perez “Brezo” Mencía 2020, Bierzo, Spain

Bodegas y Vinedos Mengoba is led by Gregory Perez, a terroir-focused winemaker seen as one of the most forward thinking winemakers in Spain according to his peers. A Bordeaux native, Perez’s career launched with Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste, and he also worked at Chateau Cos d’Estournel during and after his studies at the Bordeaux-Blanquefort School of Enology and Viticulture between 1997 and 2000. Perez went to Bierzo in Spain on the advice of his friend where he worked for several years before establishing Mengoba in 2007. He also established a second label, Brezo, for the wines he makes as a negociant, still guided by the same principles of amplifying terroir, biodiversity, and traditional winemaking. The steeply sloped vineyards are situated at the head of River Cua in the town of Espanillo ranging 600 to 850 meters above sea level. The clay and decomposed slate soils are plowed, dug up, piled and aerated to enhance the health and biodiversity of the earth. He also strictly limits the use of fertilizers, though exclusively organic, and never uses herbicides. Perez has a strong belief in protecting the biodiversity of his land. Fermentation: destemmed and crushed / traditional vinification with pumpovers. Aged 6 months in stainless steel.