MicroBio La Banda del Argilico Verdejo 2023

Importer note: This one is silky and medium-bodied, with Verdejo's blazing natural acidity, phenolic intensity, and mineral complexity. Pillowy citrus and citrus oils, grapefruit pith, lemon balm, and kaffir lime matched by rugged, earthy minerality.

Ismael Gozalo of MicroBio, is known locally as “El Mago de las Verdejos” or the Wizard of Verdejo. Importer Alvaro de la Viña, of Selections de la Viña, says it best: “he practices his sorcery in his medieval underground cellar located in his native town of Nieva. Barrels, fudres, anforas, damejeannes, stainless…young, old, skin contact, sparkling, biological and oxidative aging…you name it, he’s got it…Ismael’s family owns some of the oldest (between 100-200 years old) ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines, most of which in the town of Nieva, province of Segovia between 800-900 meters of altitude. Characterized by it’s sandy soils, these head trained vines have never seen any chemicals over the different generations that have cared for them."

Many are familiar with Ismael through his role at Ossian in Rueda, where he worked as winemaker and winegrower since its founding in 2004. But MicroBio, his solo project since 1998, is where his passion lies, and that is where you will find him these days.

Importer’s notes: 100% Verdejo from 135+ year old, pre-phylloxera vines in 2 locations within Segovia. One vineyard is grown over sand, the other is grown over sandy gravel, both sites with very low yields. All grapes are hand harvested, with gentle pressing and spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. The wine continues to age for 5.5 months on the lees in stainless before being bottled unfined, unfiltered, with zero SO2. This is the youngest wine from Ismael's line, and the name is a nod to bands argillite within the soils, where the roots sink to capture the minerality and exchange nutrients. Less than 2,000 bottles produced.