Escalada do Sil

Escalada Do Sil represents a revival of a style of wine that once upon a time was popular in the high elevation region of Valdeorras. Today Valdeorras is mostly known for the production of white Godello grapes, however before the 1800s, this region was known for the production of red wine, specifically grapes like Merenzao, which are rare to find today. Escalada Do Sil is a blend of Merenzao, Mencía and Garnacha Tintorera. Merenzao is very aromatic, offering aromas of strawberries and violets. In Portugal, the Merenzao grape takes the name of Bastardo and in France, specifically in the Jura region, it takes the name of Trousseau. Mencía provides body and Garnacha Tintorera (also known as Alicante Bouschet) contributes dark pigmentation and acidity. The vineyards of this rare wine are very near the cliffs of the Sil River, hence the name Escalada Do Sil. Valdeorras is known for its altitude and mineral soils composed of slate and granite. The region is in between Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra, but its climate is very different. Its higher elevation brings cooler nights and mornings, producing grapes with uplifted tones and refined tannins. If you are a lover of Cru Beaujolais, we recommend that you try Escalada Do Sil.

LOCATION, SOIL, CLIMATE:
The vineyards are located in the autonomous region of Galicia, in far northwestern Celtic Spain, within the Valdeorras DO (Zone 1) in Valdeorras district within the province of Ourense. The vineyards are in the mountain town of Larouco at 1,640 to 2,460 ft elevation. The soil is composed of slate and granite topsoil with a thin clay subsoil. This soil profile is poor in organic matter. The vines yield about 6 lbs of grapes per vine, compared to the average of around 17 lbs per vine in Valdeorras. The area's climate has an average temperature of 66.2 F from April to October, among the lowest average temperatures in Spain, with 27.56 inches of annual rainfall. This low level of precipitation helps prevent overnight frost. The cool temperatures of this Atlantic-influenced climate (Zone 1) provide a longer ripening period, which results in bright wines with great aromatic expression.

Available Wines