Akilia - Bierzo / Mario Rovira - Cádiz

Making some of Bierzo's most elegant wines, Mario Rovira organically tends a handful of vineyards in the San Lorenzo district of the region, just south of Ponferrada.  After his training at La Fleur Petrus and Quintessa, Mario set out to find a region with old vines, indigenous varieties, interesting soils, slopes, and a cool climate. After an extensive search, he found the San Lorenzo district of Bierzo. The San Lorenzo district of Bierzo is higher and cooler than where most small producers work. Mario crafts his wines in a highly specific and intentional way, with great thought behind each decision and a focus on minimal intervention - gentle processing, slow and cool spontaneous fermentations, and low SO2.

Akilia Villa de San Lorenzo Blanco 2021

Palomino Fino and Doña Blanca from the Fontairo (78-years-old) and Valdesacia (119-years old) vineyards.

Winemaking: Hand harvested in small bins on September 6. 12-day skin contact with spontaneous fermentation in concrete tank followed by 5 months aging on the fine lees in stainless steel. Low total SO2 (32 mg/L). Low dose clarification with bentonite (natural clay) and a very gentle filtration to remove sediment.

Production: 440 cases

Akilia Valdesacia Palomino 2019

75% Palomino/25% Doña Blanca from the 117-year-old Valdesacia vineyard.

Winemaking:  Hand harvested in small bins. Crushed/skin contact until fermentation starts (3-4 days). Spontaneous fermentation and aged 5 months on its fine lees in stainless tank. Low total SO2 (26 mg/L). Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Production: 544 bottles (60 bottles imported)

Akilia Clarete 2022

75% Palomino/25% Mencía from the 75-year-old, 2.5ha Fontairo vineyard.

Clarete refers to an old style of bright, fresh wine historically made in Spain, where red and white grapes are co-fermented together.  Historically the larger portion is red grapes, but this is Mario's ultra-fresh, white-grape-dominant, rendition.

Winemaking:  Hand harvested in small bins. Spontaneous 25-day carbonic maceration (co-fermented).  Aged for 5 months in stainless tank. Low total SO2 (36 mg/L). Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Production: 3,400 bottles

Akilia Villa de San Lorenzo Mencía 2021

Mencía with 90% from the 75-year-old Fontairo vineyard and 10% from the 96-year-old Villarín vineyard.

Winemaking:  Hand harvested in small bins on August 26. Spontaneous fermentation with 20% carbonic maceration in a separate fermenter.  Aged 9 months in concrete and used oak. Low total SO2 (32 mg/L).  Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Production: 1,000 cases

Akilia Villarín Mencía 2022

100% Mencía from the 97-year-old Villarín vineyard.

Winemaking: Hand harvested in small bins.  Cool spontaneous fermentation in concrete.  Aged 8 months in used 3- and 4-year-old French oak.  Low total SO2 (48 mg/L).  Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Production: 2,003 bottles (60 bottles imported)

Tosca Palomino Fino en Rama 2023

100% Palomino Fino from two of the Sherry Triangle's finest vineyards, Pagos Balbaína and Miraflores.

Winemaking: 7 months in stainless tank under flor. Unfortified. Bottled “en rama” without any treatments (no SO2, fining, filtering, or cold stabilization). Thus, some sediment in the bottle is possible.

Production: 3,200 bottles

RP92 - Akilia Villa de San Lorenzo White 2021

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: August 10, 2023

The white 2021 Villa de San Lorenzo White, produced mostly with Palomino and a little Doña Blanca, is a fresh and drinkable white from old certified organic vines on quartzite and slate soils. It fermented in concrete after four days of contact with the skins, and it has character, aging potential and a combination of fruit and crunchiness. It has 12.5% alcohol and very good freshness and acidity with Palomino typicity and a tasty and long finish, a little more oxidative than the Valdesacia. 7,000 bottles were filled after five months in stainless steel. It was bottled in February 2022.

RP94 - Akilia Valdesacia Palomino 2021

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: August 10, 2023

 The golden colored 2021 Valdesacia Palomino comes from ancient vines on quartz and slate soils, and it fermented in concrete after a four-day maceration with the skins and aged with the lees for five months. It's darker and has some smoky and toasty notes, palate with rectitude and austerity, a dusty and a powdery sensation and a very tasty finish. An unusual white from Bierzo. 1,100 bottles were filled in February 2022.

RP92+ - Akilia Villa de San Lorenzo Red 2021

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: August 10, 2023

The difference between the village red 2021 Villa de San Lorenzo Red and the 2022 is like night and day. This is pale, delicate and ethereal, with a mineral mouthfeel. It's medium-bodied, has some stony austerity and is a lot more about the soil than the fruit. I love the seriousness. 5,500 bottles were filled in March 2022.

RP91 - Akilia Villa de San Lorenzo Red 2022

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: June 20, 2024

I previously tasted the juicy and young village red 2022 Villa de San Lorenzo Red last year when it was very recently bottled. It's darker, riper and fruit-driven, denoting a warmer and drier year in the region. It's still primary, with notes of fresh berries and herbs, a juicy texture and 13.5% alcohol. It matured in concrete for four months, and only 10% of the wine spent time in used barriques. 6,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.

RP93 - Akilia Villarín 2022

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: June 20, 2024

The red 2022 Villarín Mencía was produced with the grapes from one hectare of 96-year-old vines on quartzite and slate soils, and it fermented in concrete and matured in used 228-liter barrels for seven months. It’s ripe and a bit heady, hitting the scale at 14%, with floral and perfumed notes, wild berry and herbs and integrated oak. It has a medium to full-bodied palate with some chewy tannins, tasty, dry and long. 1,790 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2023.