Quinta Da Muradella, El Bastardo, 2016

£65.40

Single-varietal Bastardo from Monterrei (Galicia) by José Luis Mateo: whole-bunch ferment with native yeasts, matured in 400L barrels; just 2,200 bottles. Red-berry fruit with peppery, earthy detail at 13% abv.

red berries
white pepper
earthy
saline

At a glance

Producer: Quinta da Muradella
Region: Galicia
Appellation: Monterrei DO
Grape: Bastardo
Vintage: 2016
Country: Spain
Wine type: Red
Alcohol: 13.0%
Size: 75.0cl
Farming: Organic — certified Biodynamic — practising

Taste profile

Body: Medium
Acidity: High
Tannin: Medium
Sweetness: Dry

What to eat with it

roast chicken
grilled tuna steak
marmitako (Basque tuna and potato stew)
grilled pork chops
cod with chorizo and potatoes

How to serve it

Serve: Cool room temperature (16–18°C)

Why Cave selected it

Tiny-production, site-expressive Bastardo from a benchmark Monterrei grower; whole-bunch, low-intervention winemaking delivers freshness, fine tannins and food-friendly spice.

About the wine

The grapes come from finca Muradella (see profile), on clay and sandstone soils at 470m altitude. The uncrushed whole bunches fermented with indigenous yeasts in open foudres and matured in 400ltr barrels, 2,200 bottles were filled up in August 2018.

About Quinta da Muradella

Setting out in 1991 José started a life’s work to restore the viticultural traditions of this region which had been lost after the second world war, when farmers abandoned hillsides and the mountain areas in favour of the higher yielding valley floors and an easier life. Here in a transitional zone between an atlantic and continental climate summers are very hot followed by freezing cold winters. He works with no less than 15 different red and nine different white varieties, trialling different grapes in different locations in his vineyards with various kinds of soils: clay, gravel, slate, quartz and granite, looking for the perfect spot to bring out the best in each variety, and working with insanely low yields.

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