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Red Herbal perfumed

Alvar de Dios 'Yavallo'

Alvar purchased a few vineyards in the village of Villadepera in the relatively new wine region of Arribes del Duero (DO since 2007). It is here where the Duero river becomes the Douro as it stradles the border of Spain and Portugal. Villadepera is the northern most village in the region.

Yavallo is a fascinating vineyard that in spite of being merely 0.2ha in size, it is planted to a number of different grape varieties. While being predominantly made up of Bastardo (or Trousseau in France), there is also Rufete, Juan Garcia, Trincadeira, Preta, Mencia, Carinena and a small amount of Dona Blanca. 

The grapes are all hand-harvested and fermented using indigenous yeasts. The stems are left in tact and maceration lasts up to 40 days. From then on, the wine is left to mature for 12 months in a single 700L barrel, followed by 6 months in clay amphora. Only a tiny volume of about 800 bottles produced in any single year.