La Cosa Moscatel Dessert Wine 375ml Half Bottle Alfredo Maestro 2019

La Cosa Dessert Wine 375ml Half Bottle Alfredo Maestro, natural, funky, low sulphur, artisan, botrytised Spanish sweet white wine, BE AWARE, THIS WINE CARRIES A ‘IT’S PRETTY FUNKY STUFF WARNING!’ – NO REFUNDS ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT TASTES LIKE VINEGAR. It’s rare to come across dessert wines made this naturally, so it’s quite a treat when they do come along! This little Spanish minx is made from 100% Moscatel de Alejandria, affected by botrytis and hung out to dry. The grapes are then pressed and allowed to ferment in stainless steel until the yeasts have had enough. The colour is a murky, deep orange, and the wine is moreishly sweet with a core of rich, aromatic fruit, caramel, spices and so on. Cutting through that is a lovely backbone of acid which stops it from being cloying. Fantastic value for a dessert wine, especially one made with natural methods, but then Alfredo’s wines have always been a labour of love. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THE CURRENT 2019 VINTAGE OF THIS WINE HAS ELEVATED LEVELS OF VA – VOLATILE ACIDITY – IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS OR YOU ARE NOT A FAN, DO NOT ORDER THIS WINE!

See the comments from one of our colleagues who sourced the wine…..

‘This wine is certainly consistent in its way-outness. Last year we had exploding bottles. This year we have a wine with very high volatile acidity (VA) – it’s always been pretty high, but this year it is turbo-charged. VA can come across as a ‘vinegary’ taste. This wine has that extreme sharpness but it is balanced by its sweetness. But I can see how it will be too much for some. I make vinegar at home and regularly sip it, so maybe I’m not the best person to judge VA! The colour is murky and it really is a wild wine. But it is remarkably drinkable. (for those who are well versed in funky natural wines.)

I would not recommend it to those people looking for a ‘normal’ sweet wine, for that try Monbazillac Jour de FruitOnly suggest to those customers who would understand its eccentricities or are simply looking for something whacky.’

Alfredo Maestro Tejero’s vineyards are located within the Ribera del Duero D.

O., but Alfredo prefers not to participate in the D.O., so the wines are Vino de la Tierra de Castillo y León. His are completely natural wines, with no sulphur added in the vineyard or the winery. All vineyard treatments are natural, and many of them follow biodynamic practices. The Castrillo de Duero is 100% Tempranillo. Fermented in small stainless steel vats, and aged for 16 months in old French oak barrels. A rich Tempranillo that maintains its vibrancy, with great structure. The Almate is darkly coloured, opaque and mouth filling with lavender and toffee notes that stay from nose to finish while only tiny bit of reduction, maybe because of the low sulphur, shows on the nose, but quickly disappears to allow a sweet nose of roses, mineral and red berry fruits which lead to a dense palate of plum, cherry and berry compote.