Ancestralopitekus Orange Verdejo 2024

From the hot, open landscapes of La Mancha, this biodynamic skin-contact Verdejo, has all the trademark citrus zing and gentle herbal lift you'd expect.And in addition being fermented on the skins, it picks up an attractive copper tint, a savoury edge, and a bit of grip that gives it real food-friendly shape. Ripe peach, apricot and baked apple are cut through with flashes of dried orange peel, and a light haze from minimal filtration hints at its unfussy, hands-off approach. An orange wine with no shortage of character.

Great with the likes of harissa-roasted carrots, garlicky prawns, or pumpkin risotto, the zip and savoury bite keep each mouthful lively.

Bodegas Parra Ximenez was founded in 1993 by the three Parra brothers, early champions of organic viticulture in Cuenca, La Mancha - a region that, it has to be said, is made for that sort of thing. In 2008 they took things further, moving to full biodynamic farming and cutting out pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers altogether. Alongside the vines, the family grows arable crops and garlic, and keeps sheep, whose milk is used for the region's famous Manchego cheese. It's all part of a self-sufficient ecosystem where grain feeds the animals and the animals fertilise the land. Today, Pablo Parra, son of one of the founders, carries the baton, pushing sustainability even further.