The Peique story begins with two Ramóns—Ramón Valle and Ramón Peique, grandfather and great-uncle to today's generation—who planted most of these vineyards in the first half of the 20th century. In Valtuille de Abajo, where everyone's business is vines, they were the meticulous ones, obsessive ones, men who understood that when everyone has similar parcels, excellence comes from attention to detail. Fine wine 101.
The family made their commercial debut in 1999 with 10,000 bottles, made in friends' cellars. They had nothing but old vines and enthusiasm. Today, Luis and Sagrario Peique, along with their children Jorge (winemaker) and Mar (general manager), oversee 12 hectares of those same goblet-trained vines their grandfathers planted.
Many of their plots occupy Bierzo's most coveted sites—Mata Los Pardos, Cova de la Raposa—names that are just now appearing on single-vineyard bottlings as Bierzo embraces its cru potential. The Ramón Valle bottling comes from their highest parcels: 45-55 year old bush-trained vines at 1,800 feet, where Atlantic influence meets continental extremes.
Jorge learned viticulture the hard way, following his grandfather through the vineyards as a child, understanding "why to prune in a certain way, the importance of plowing the land, the flowering time, or why in August it had to rain but not too much." That childhood education shows in every decision: hand-harvesting, native yeast fermentation, seven months in French oak that polishes without masking the slate-driven minerality.
What emerges is Mencia at its most sophisticated—the kind that made Robert Parker once call Bierzo "Spain's answer to Burgundy." Dark fruit wrapped around a mineral core, with that distinctive Atlantic freshness that separates great Bierzo from the rest of Spain.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT
The Raul Perez Connection: These are the same slopes where Spain's most celebrated natural winemaker sources fruit. Same elevation, same slate soils, same old bush vines—at literally half the price.
97-Point Pedigree: The previous vintage earned 97 points from Decanter World Wine Awards. This isn't beginner Bierzo—it's the real deal from vines planted during the Eisenhower administration.
Three Generations Deep: From grandfather Ramón's obsessive vineyard work to grandson Jorge's precise winemaking, this bottle represents a century of accumulated wisdom about one specific place.
Single-Vineyard Value: Most Bierzo at this quality level costs $50-60. At $25 on a case, this is like finding Premier Cru Burgundy at a village price.
HOW TO SERVE IT
Serve at 58-60°F: cool enough to preserve the Atlantic freshness but warm enough to release those complex aromatics. Decant for 30 minutes.
Drink now through 2031. While it's delicious today with its vibrant dark fruit, Mencia from old vines has surprising aging potential, developing earthy, savory notes that make the Burgundy comparisons even more apt.
Perfect with roast lamb, or Bierzo's famous botillo (pork shoulder). The combination of fruit intensity and mineral backbone makes it incredibly food-friendly.
