Valenciso 2018

Valenciso is a very fine wine and a reliable Rioja, which satisfies both classic palates and those who like their wines more modern in style. Its excellent balance between fruit and oak is one of its greatest merits, which is maintained vintage after vintage. They are famous at Valenciso for doing things well, for being consistent and meticulous, and confirmation of this comes simply by opening one of their bottles. It's made exclusively from Tempranillo variety grapes, from single vineyards in Ollauri, Briones, Rodezno, Haro and Villalba, cultivated via sustainable viticulture on calcareous-clay soils, in northern Rioja Alta, benefitting from the Atlantic influence typically found in that part. After harvesting by hand, the destalked but whole grapes ferment and macerate in concrete tanks; afterwards, a third of the wine matures in light and medium toast French oak barrels for 19 months. Finally, it's racked again to a concrete container for settling and stabilising naturally for 12 months before being bottled. Once uncorked, Valenciso releases energy, life, plenty of fruit and reveals its fine ageing. It's elegant, expressive, intense and harmonious. It's complex too, with a wide variety of fruit notes (cherries, raspberries, plums, blackberries), hints of crystallised fruit, lactic notes, earthy touches, subtle suggestions of leather... with none of these aromas being especially dominant, so that its true character emanates from the blend as a whole, a wonderful rich scent, becoming ever more harmonious the longer it spends in the glass. On the palate it's very juicy, powerful and sinewy but with pleasant tannins, and it has a dry spicy undertone and lovely viscosity which exemplify its unmistakable Rioja character. Very easy to drink, juicy, most pleasurable... A wine that blossoms in the glass and looks forward to a long life ahead. Always worth having a few bottles in store. Try one and you'll want some more!