2017

O Diviso

D.O.

Telmo Rodriguez

Description

2017 O Diviso, D.O. Valdeorras, Telmo Rodríguez

Telmo Rodriguez has become one of Spain's most exciting wine maker's over the past decade. His family owned Remelluri (of which he now makes again) but he stretched his wings early by making wine in different locations. He has become a strong proponent of single vineyard wines and has really worked at identifing vineyards that are worth featuring in a bottle. His project Ladeiras do Xil (meaning the hillsides of the Sil River) begain in 2002 and at this point it has hit a high point.

O Diviso is a small vineyard near the town of Las Ermitas, a nearly forgotten town bypassed the main road on the hillside above. It's a small town with a large, historic Sanctuary of Las Ermitas (represented on the label). It sits on the Bibei River and a small bridge crosses from the region of Valdeorras into Ribeira Sacra here. The vineyard is 1.2 hectares on the Valdeorras side of the river looking down at the town and the other side of the river canyon. The wine is wonderful. Elegant and long and really pretty wine.

"The 2017 O Diviso is only the fourth vintage from a vineyard in the zone of As Ermitas. They have been recovering and replanting a 1.2-hectare plot with a field blend of Mencia, Garnacha, Mouraton and some Caino to complete the 2.9 hectares that have been replanted. This fermented with indigenous yeasts in small oak vats followed by one year in oak foudres. It's only 13% alcohol and has soft acidity. For Pablo Eguzkiza, this wine is always different; it has more tension and is subtler, more serious, very long and with finesse, a more refined version of As Caborcas. This is their highest-altitude vineyard and the one they harvest last. The wine has restraint and complexity, the combination of old vines and a long cycle even in an early year like 2017. Production has been slowly growing, and even though 2017 was a low-yielding year, they managed to produce a record 1,170 bottles. It was bottled in June 2019." Luis Gutierrez The Wine Advocate 96 points

"Quite subtle and reserved with blue-fruit, iodine and white-pepper character. It's medium-to full-bodied with a tight, reserved palate and ultra fine and light, chewy tannins that go on for minutes. Better in 2022." 97 points James Suckling