The 2010 Algueira Merenzao is trodden by foot and aged in used oak. It has a ripe, peppery, Loire-inspired nose with cranberry, sour cherry and a faint but agreeable herbal note. The palate is well-balanced with a touch of cooked meat on the entry. It is dry, a little lean in the mouth, but very fresh and lively with crisp leafy red berry fruit on the charming finish. Very fine. Drink now-2015. Adega Algueira overlooks the River Sil from its lofty perch and uses fruit from its own vineyards: Mencia, Alvarello, Merenzao, and Caino for their reds, and Godello, Loureiro, Alvarino and Treixadura for the whites. Fernando Gonzalez Riveiro oversees a splendid portfolio that epitomizes the freshness and vitality that both the white and reds can offer. Importer: Antalva Import; www.antalva.com and Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel.(914) 244-0404