Alegre & Valganon 3er Ano, 2018

Austusavaldus klassikalisele Rioja tippveinile. Viura ja Garnacha Blanca viinamarjad kogutakse väga vanadelt viinapuudelt Sajazarra ja Fonzalechi külades Rioja jahedas lääneosas, umbes 550-600 meetri kõrgusel merepinnast. Käärimine ja laagerdumine (42 kuud) toimub 500-liitrises Prantsuse vaadis ning veinitoodang on umbes 650 pudelit.

94/100p Wine Advocate: The second vintage of the long-aging white after the initial 2015 is the 2018 Blanco Embotellado 3er Año, an aromatic, medicinal, balsamic, smoky and spicy white (lots of clove!) with some reductive notes reminiscent of some volcanic wines. It´s velvety and has volume but with a moderate 13.4% alcohol and very good freshness (a pH of 3.25). It´s pure Viura from Fonzaleche and Remelluri that has a faint oxidative character. It matured in a new barrel the first year and then a used barrel the second and third years, with the intention of not being oaky. It has the saltiness of the limestone soils and the freshness from the places. Only 650 bottles were filled in June 2022, a week before I tasted it, yet the wine was harmonious.