The 2023 Cobrana A Bruxa is a 70% Mencia and 30% Palomino/Dona Blanca/Godello from one parcel of Cobrana, from very old vines grown on a 180-degree slope of steep hillside. The soils are more calcareous than the other parcels of mostly sand, with just a small amount of chalk giving the wine a different tannin profile, more powerful than the other Cabrana. Aged in amphora and oak barrel, it effuses spicy white pepper, dried herb, and enduring earthiness with an intense entry of explosive acidity and intensity. The first vintage, this speaks well to the tiny parcel’s ability to be great in Ortega’s hands. Hold a bit and drink 2028-2035.

One of two new reds in 2023 is the 2023 Cobrana A Bruxa, from a single vineyard surrounded by forest, a steep slope on whiter soils within the decomposed slate soils from Cobrana. This was always part of the regular Cobrana and fermented together with the others because the yields were very low, but the vineyard is being recovered, and in 2023, it was vinified separately. The field blend contains a significant amount of Doña Blanca and Godello white grapes. It fermented with 75% full clusters in 1,000-liter bins with a soft maceration of five weeks, and part of the wine matured in 300-liter barrel and part in 800-liter clay amphorae for 17 months. It has a more lifted nose, more perfumed, and the tannins are sharper. She gave it a little longer time in bottle and released it a little later. With time in the glass, it develops a more and more intoxicating nose that attracts you to smell the glass over and over again; it's super perfumed and unfurls layer upon layer of wild flowers and herbs. It has more backbone and very fine tannins, vibrant, with a different texture from Cobrana, a little chalkier. It's awesome beyond belief! 1,655 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2025. - Luis Gutierrez

The 2023 Cobrana A Bruxa is Mencia from Bierzo. Initially reductive on the nose, it presents blood orange, violet, lavender, plum, incense and emerging oak aromas. This is expressive and juicy, with firm, grippy tannins and a stem-influenced profile. The 2023 will gain precision and energy with time in bottle. -- Joaquin Hidalgo