2021 Envinate Lousas Rosende Mencia

Lousas is the name Envintate has given to their wines from Ribeira Sacra, translating to slate and a nod to the rock that marks these wines. Each of their Lousas releases are predominately Mencia, along with a smaller component of various indigenous varieties such as Merenzao, Caino, Garnacha Tintorerra, and Palomino among many others. Vina de Aldea is a blend of several plots from the Amandi, Quiroga, and Ribeiras do Sil subregions of Ribeira Sacra. Doad meanwhile hails from different terroirs throughout the Galician town of Doade, is Mencia dominant with the remaining 15% a field blend of various varieties. Rosende is sourced from a single vineyard from a village of the same name, and the soils here are similar to the Northern Rhone with granite crystals flecked through the sand. Finally Camino Novo is a single vineyard perched on the edge of the River Sil, where the vines are 80 years old and always produce some of the most profound Mencia in the area.

Other Reviews....
The new village 2021 Rosende Lousas comes from different vineyards on granite and feldspar soils, coarse, where they have a Mencía-based field blend with some 15% other varieties (Sousón, Merenzao, Alicante, Grao Negro, Jerez, etc.) that were vinified with 100% full clusters in a 4,200-liter concrete vat and open bins, followed by malolactic in barrel and one year in a 2,000-liter oak foudre and neutral 228-liter barrels. It has a moderate 12% alcohol and a pH of 3.65 with five grams of acidity (tartaric). This is quite reductive and needs time to open up in the glass, with a flinty note and hints of toasted sesame seeds, serious, austere and delineated, very rocky and mineral. This is a cool, Atlantic vintage when the wines show more traditional Galician style, cool and floral. There's more red fruit and violets here than in the Doad. 3,300 bottles were produced. It was bottled in November 2022. Drink 2023 - 2031.
96 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Nov 17, 2023)

White sesame reduction with tangy wild berries, white pepper funk, mezcal and grapefruit. Dusty, minerally tannins resolve beautifully on the elegant and minerally attractive palate with a medium body and lengthy, soft-spoken finish. Excellent intensity framed in a feather-weighted palate. Delicious now, but can hold, too.
96 points
JamesSuckling.com