In a given vintage José Luis Mateo can make a dizzying number of small-batch vinifications. A barrel of this, a barrel of that. If the quality is there, the wine is bottled, and if it isn't, it's either blended away or literally, poured down the drain. There was no chance of either occurring with this beauty.
The wine takes its name from El Castrillón, a co-plantation vineyard on slate soils located in the Monterrei highlands at 700m above sea level. Mateo believes this single vineyard was planted between 60 and 80 years ago and so far he’s identified Mencía, Bastardo, Tinta da Zorra, Garnacha Tintorera, Gran Negro and Verdello (Godello) amongst the varieties. Containing grapes that are not recognised in the appellation, this wine does not carry the D.O. Monterrei on the label (not that I imagine anyone really cares). Mateo calls it a Viticultura de Montaña, and we're fine with that.
In the traditional method, the grapes were foot-stomped together in an old wooden vat and naturally co-fermented, before being transferred to neutral oak for some 13 months maturation before being bottled.