Arguably among the first top quality wines from Bierzo, the 1999 Ardai

Arguably among the first top quality wines from Bierzo, the 1999 Ardai Cepas Centenarias is made from 100% mencía from 90 - 100 years old vines. It is aged for 17 months in French oak. This was only my second bottle of a 6-pack that I have had for some time. I always thought the wine showed a lot of potential, and it is now starting to hit its stride, although it should drink well through the end of the decade. It now shows more elegance as its fruit, acidity, oak, minerals, and tannic grip have come into increasingly alignment. The nose shows mostly black fruit, cinnamon spice, and slight anise, and floral notes. It is medium bodied with depth and a zesty mouthfeel, and it shows focussed flavors of bright red and black fruits with excellent persistence.

P.S. Since the 2000 vintage, this wine now flies under the banner of Valtuille Cepas Centenarias.