Gancedo's old-vine Mencía from centenarian parcels between 600 and 750 metres, on clay loam with slate stones and, at San Miguel, on limestone.
Tip: San Miguel in Arganza is the only Gancedo parcel on calcareous soil, which is unusual in a DO the Consejo describes as carbonate-free.
The flagship of the Estévez family's return to Valtuille de Abajo, made from vineyards their great-grandfather Ramón bought before the family left for Mexico.
Tip: Valtuille de Abajo has a dozen bodega doors within walking distance of each other. Versos de Valtuille is a good first stop on that walk.
Losada's whole-bunch entry Mencía from Cacabelos, the bottle most Bierzo lists open with and the cheapest way to read the estate's style.
Tip: Losada runs booked visits Monday to Friday, so you can taste El Pájaro Rojo where it is made rather than buying it blind.
The Bierzo Alto house's entry Mencía from San Román de Bembibre, made in a cellar built for wines that keep far longer than this bottle asks.
Tip: Baltos is the bottle to buy if you want to compare Bierzo Alto fruit against the warmer valley floor without spending on the top cuvées.
Gregory Pérez's entry red from San Juan de Carracedo, Mencía with a share of Alicante Bouschet from the old mixed parcels.
Tip: Brezo is the easiest introduction to how Alicante Bouschet behaves in a Bierzo blend, which is a Bierzo trait rather than a Rioja or Ribera one.
Marcos García Alba's entry Mencía from Valtuille de Abajo, the hamlet that carries an unusual density of small producers on one or two streets.
Tip: Buy it in Valtuille itself: the village has more bodega doors per street than anywhere else in the DO.
The younger of the two wines Pittacum pours at the close of its Arganza visit, unoaked Mencía made to be drunk rather than kept.
Tip: The Arganza visit finishes on Petit Pittacum and Pittacum side by side, which is the cheapest way to taste the two tiers against each other.
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