Introducing Puck: The Mischievous Wine Spirit

Winery: Sierra Cantabria

Location: D.O.Ca Rioja

Country: Spain

Grapes: 100% Tempranillo, from Finca El Bosque state vineyards.

€70/80

Some wines have the power to print pictures on my retina turning it into some kind of projection screen. They become my “magic” wines, the wines that hooked me into this blessed madness and introduced me to Puck, both my debaucher and guide.

Yet, my Christmas present offered a change in pattern: Puck did not just invite me to the opening of his latest production but popped out of the screen and holding my hand, pushed me through it taking me to his dreamland, the imaginary realm where he dwells and which he only leaves to whisper words of wine in the ears of a few chosen mortals.

At first I am blinded by darkness; the blackness of the night melts in with the tree tops of the forest pressed so tightly together as to stop me from seeing beyond that thick and compact dark purple mass.

I allow him to lead the way and as my eyes gradually grow accustomed to the dark, I can catch a glilmpse of the thin and cherry-colored mist that softly embraces trees, bushes, grass and soil.

Giggling sounds sparkle through the branches like sparks of pepper, now black, then white. Following each note, scents of black berries fall on the soil forming a velvet carpet caressing our naked feet.

Deeply enjoying the soft rustle made by our feet stepping on the smooth leaves, I breathe the intense pinewood aroma from the trees that hide ripe fruit of bitter chocolate and black licorice and cream in the shape of candy sticks, hanging loosely and idly from the tallest branches.

Puck shows me the exit, he knows I am not to stay, yet the forest hangs on to me, its vastness embraces me as a broad chest holding me within his powerful yet tender arms. There is nothing to be done, I am quickly fading away, my physical body evaporating and filtering through the pores of the projection screen until I find myself through the looking-glass, on the other side, on the opposite side of Puck’s Forest.