Here’s a little bit of Andalusian light coming to us by way of Veronica Ortega. Orginally from Cadiz, her love for the Mencía grape brought her to Bierzo in northwestern Spain. Since then, she’s become a reference in the region and has blurred the lines between classic and natural Bierzo. She worked with Daphne Glorian and Alvaro Palacios in the Priorat as well as a quick stint at DRC in Burgundy before ultimately settling in Valtuille de Abajo in 2012. Raúl Pérez was nice enough to offer her some space at his winery where she made her first couple vintages until moving into her own winery. Like everybody else in Bierzo, you could say Raúl had an influence in her winemaking but without a doubt she's made a name for herself recovering old winemaking traditions and redefining what Bierzo can be.

Working mostly between the towns of Valtuille and Cobrana, she's making DO classified wine while also making villages and single vineyard style wines. Most of her vines are over 70 years old accounting for 5 total hectares spread across more than 20 small vineyards planted on a mix of clay, sand, and slate. Her grapes are a product of organic farming and her wines are made as naturally as possible only adding minimal doses of sulphur when needed to avoid deviations. You will find her wines are straight and polished while still having a natural edge that gives them the energy and life we look for in all of our selections.