César Márquez Parajes Bierzo 2023

Traditional Price €29
Member Price €17.61
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César describes this as ‘Bierzo in a bottle’ - it’s a regional blend of 45 vineyard sites across 9 villages.

Despite it being his entry level wine, he tells me it’s his most important one. This is the one wine that most people will ever try from him, so he needs to over-deliver.

It’s also his best value wine - lots of the grapes here, from 80-120 year-old vineyards, are declassified from some of the top sites in Bierzo, which produce bottles that sell for several times the price.

The main grape here is Mencía - but as with most vineyards in Bierzo, it’s a field blend of roughly 85% Mencía, 10% Alicante Bouschet, and 5% other grapes. 

Bierzo is one of those special places that draws you in - if you like reds in the style of Pinot Noir, Gamay or northern Rhone Syrah, then give this a try and you won't look back.

Wine type Red
Grape(s) Mencia
Country Spain
Region of origin Bierzo
Vintage 2023
Alcohol % 13.5%
Oak? Yes
Months in Oak 11
Type of Oak French
Allergens (e.g. does it contain Milk, Egg, Fish, Nuts) None
Average age of vines 50-100 years
Average altitude of vines (m) 550
Soil type(s) Clay and sand
Closure Type Cork
Is this wine organic? No
Biodynamic? No
Sustainably produced? Yes
Suitable for vegans? Yes
Ageing potential  10 years
Ideal drinking window 2024 - 2034

César comes from one of the most famous and revered winemaking families in Spain. His uncle is Raúl Pérez, and his family winery is Castro Ventosa, Bierzo’s leading winery, founded 9 generations ago.

Read more about César.

When I went to visit César, I met his granny who lives right beside the winery. She insisted I brought away a bag of tins of her homemade chorizo and roasted red peppers. Not only were they heavenly when I tasted them back home, but they were even better when I cracked a bottle of Parajes to have with them.

FOR IRELAND

We know how important it is to get your wine order quickly and efficiently. So we’ve partnered with UPS to offer next-day delivery on our wines.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • It’s free - delivery is already included in the members' price
  • It’s fast - you’ll get next-day delivery if you order before 12pm Monday-Thursday
  • It’s environmentally-friendly - all of our orders are shipped carbon neutral with UPS.

€2 per case is added to all Northern Ireland orders to cover additional shipping costs. The point of sale occurs in the Republic of Ireland.

Our minimum order requirement is 6 bottles and we ship in multiples of 6’s. This can be 6 different bottles!

You may need to show your ID on delivery.

Please read our Terms & Conditions for more information.

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FOR UK

1. Order minimum & case sizes

We ship exclusively in full cases of wine. Your order must be a minimum of 6 bottles and in a multiple of 6 (for example 6, 12, 18 bottles).

2. Where we deliver

We deliver across Great Britain, with a small number of exceptions. Delivery is currently not available to the following locations:

  • Channel Islands (GY, JE)

Please also note that some more remote areas take a little longer to reach. For the postcodes listed below, delivery may take 2–5 working days due to their location, and there is an additional £20 charge applied to these areas:

KA27, KA28, AB31–AB56, IV1–IV63, KW1–KW17, PH15–PH150, PA20–PA78, HS1–HS9, PH42–PH44, ZE1–ZE3, FK16–FK21,BT

3. Delivery timeframe

  • Place your order by midday (12pm) Monday-Friday for next working-day delivery.

  • Saturday delivery is available when you order by midday on Friday.

  • If you order after midday, your delivery will fall on the next working day, and in some cases it may arrive sooner - but this is not guaranteed.

  • Orders placed after 3pm on a Friday will be delivered on the following Tuesday.

4. Courier & delivery options

We use DPD Local for all deliveries with the default method as delivery to your address - handover required. You’ll receive text and/or an email notification to let you know your case has been shipped and another with your 1 hour delivery window, with both giving you the options to:

• leave in a safe place

• leave with a neighbour

• change the delivery day

• deliver to a different address

• deliver to a DPD Pickup ParcelShop

If you choose a safe place or a neighbour and the parcel is delivered to that place or person, responsibility passes to you from that point onwards.

5. Age verification

This site is for adults only. We operate a Challenge 25 age verification policy. When in doubt DPD will request valid photo ID on delivery to confirm you are 18 or over. Accepted ID includes a passport, driving licence or other recognised photographic ID.

6. Damaged goods in transit

If your case of wine is damaged during transit, we will be notified by DPD and will reorder and dispatch a replacement for you at the earliest opportunity and keep you updated throughout.

7. Returns once delivered

If you decide you need to return your order after it has been delivered, please get in touch with us and we will arrange a collection. Returns are handled on a case-by-case basis once you contact us.

8. General provisions

By placing an order you agree to these delivery terms. We may update or amend these terms from time to time - any changes will apply to orders placed after the update.

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
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G
Ger Whyte (Tralee)
Another good one

Really enjoyable drinking. Dark fruits and tobacco (?) on the nose, fruit with a bit of grip on the palate. Long finish. Delivers well above the price level.

Wonderful review, thank you Ger!

B
Brian Ward (Dublin)
Nice young wine with a fruity flavour

Enjoyable wine with a pleasant aftertaste; nice round flavour; some tanins

So pleased you liked it, Brian!

L
Luke Kelly (Dublin)
Fantastic wine, enjoyed every last drop.

Paired beautifully with a chorizo and chickpea stew.

A brilliant pairing Luke, thanks for the review!

M
Michael Coyle (Dublin)
Great nose, medium body, long lasting on the palate, clean finish.

Just tried the 2020 with pasta and salad. Have ordered more.

Thanks Michael, I hope you enjoy the 2021's as much! cheers Eamon