Paixar, Bierzo (Castilla y León, Spain) Mencia 2016

 Longtime readers of WRO might already be aware of my utter adoration of this wine in almost every vintage, and now that the terrific 2016 is available, you can add another vintage to the list of fantastic Paixar bottlings stretching back to the initial release from 2001.  The 2016 leans a bit more toward the sleek, fresh and elegant side of the Paixar spectrum than did the 2015, but with that noted, nobody could fail to appreciate the depth and length of the flavors offered by the 2016 (thanks, no doubt, to the old vines that have always been the source for this wine).  The oak is especially well integrated in this vintage, which will make it tempting early on, but the smart money will hold onto this for another five years before cracking into it.  Combining the usually divergent virtues of power and intricacy, this is a complete wine of superb quality.