# La Dama del Abrigo Rojo (2021)

- **Producer:** Ver Sacrum
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Nebbiolo
- **Region:** Mendoza, Argentina
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.9%
- **Average price:** €40
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blueberry, violet, dried cherry, rose, red cherry, cedar, cloves, vanilla, dried fruit, leather, wet leaves, tobacco, earth

## About this wine

La Dama del Abrigo Rojo is a 2021 Nebbiolo from Ver Sacrum, a boutique winery in Mendoza, Argentina. Produced from a single plot in the Los Chacayes IG of the Uco Valley, the wine is a testament to the producer's philosophy of minimal intervention and showcasing unique terroirs. Ver Sacrum, founded by friends in 2012, aims to create distinctive wines from less common grape varietals, with 'Ver Sacrum' symbolizing renewal and audacity. The high-altitude vineyard, situated at approximately 1,100 meters, features alluvial, limestone-rich soils scattered with river stones, contributing to the wine's character.

## Interesting facts

- Nebbiolo, the grape, is notoriously difficult to grow outside its native Piedmont.
- The vineyard is planted at an elevation of over 3,600 feet (1,100 meters).
- The wine's name, 'La Dama del Abrigo Rojo,' translates to 'The Lady in the Red Cloak.'
- Ver Sacrum focuses on Mediterranean grape varieties, a departure from Argentina's typical Malbec focus.

## Food pairing

The wine's medium+ to high tannins and vibrant acidity are well-suited to complement the richness of proteins like beef, lamb, and duck, cutting through fat and cleansing the palate. Its complex aromatic profile can echo or contrast with earthy flavors from mushrooms and herbs, while its structure can stand up to savory and richer dishes.

## Wine making process

The 2021 La Dama del Abrigo Rojo is produced from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Viticulture involves organic and regenerative farming practices in the Los Chacayes IG, with hand-harvested fruit. Vinification includes foot-trodden whole clusters, fermentation with native yeasts in small bins and barrels, and a semi-carbonic process lasting 21 days. The wine then undergoes 11 months of aging in 225-liter used French oak barrels.