The Mencía wine from Pazo de La Cuesta, Galicia’s oldest family-owned winery dating back to 1608, has been named the best Spanish red wine at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), recently held in London.
In addition, it won a medal for the best Mencía from Ribeira Sacra and a gold medal with 96 points, making it the only Spanish wine made from this variety to win a gold medal at this prestigious international competition. “These great accolades mean a lot to us. It has been five years since this exciting project began. The road has not been easy, as is the case with all new ventures, and especially because we wanted to restore the estate and its wines to their rightful place, but it has undoubtedly been very satisfying and the results we have recently received from the most important international wine competitions indicate that we are on the right track,” revealed the owner of Pazo de La Cuesta, Manuel Bellod.
The prestigious competition involves 500 judges from more than 40 countries, including renowned experts and influential figures in the world of wine such as the Masters of Wine (MW), who serve as co-presidents: Tim Atkin, Sam Caporn and Peter Mc Combie.
It has been a year of great awards for the wines of Pazo de La Cuesta, and in particular for the Mencía, which has already won a gold medal at VinEspaña and 92 points from Beth Willard in Tim Atkin’s Guide.
PAZO DE LA CUESTA: THE OLDEST FAMILY WINERY IN GALICIA
Since 2020, Pazo de La Cuesta, located in Ribas de Sil, has been immersed in a project to renovate and restore its historic vineyard and the original 16th-century winery. The oldest family winery in Galicia has belonged to the same family since its foundation, and it was Manuel Bellod Álvarez de Lorenzana, a member of the fourteenth generation, who took on the initiative, committing himself to restoring the prestige of yesteryear to the estate, its vineyard and its wines.
Fourteen generations endorse the history of Pazo de La Cuesta, which dates back to 1608 and has just been recognized by the Instituto Padre Sarmiento
“He is one of the best winemakers in Spain and his experience and professionalism will allow us to consolidate our position as one of the
