2020 5V 96TA
Abel Mendoza
San Vicente, Rioja

When creating the blend, the proportions are decided based on quality and quantity. Their philosophy is not one of taking the best fruit for the blend or for the single-varietals. Rather, the decision is made on desired characteristics and what they are looking to show in the wines. Structure, acid, fruit, aromatics etc. Sometimes the blend is done at the juice stage (if the vintage has allowed for similar ripening times) and sometimes the blend is done after fermentation. Similar to the single-varietals, the wine spends 5 - 6 months in new French oak barrels. - Importer

• 73% Viura, Garnacha blanca, Torrontés, Tempranillo blanco and Malvasía blanca make up the balance
• The fruit is sorted and pressed in a pneumatic press. The juice goes into tank for a brief settling period and after one day is racked off into barrels for fermentation.
• Depending on the vintage blending can happen before fermentation, after, or both if one or more varieties are separated.
• After fermentation, the wines stay in barrel for 5 - 6 months on the lees with intermittent batonnage.

96 pts Tim Atkin MW*
*Tim Atkin is less know in the US as he is UK based but is a well-respected authority on wines and not a huge point giver. Personable and passionate, I follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram as I value his input on many of the wines I not only sell but also collect myself.
Note: Viura is the dominant variety in this five-way white blend with 73% of the blend, while Garnacha blanca, Torrontés, Tempranillo blanco and Malvasía blanca make up the balance. A flinty, struck match top note leads you into a wine that's balanced, complex and nuanced, with peach, lemongrass and pink grapefruit flavours, a hint of aniseed and white pepper and a creamy mid-palate. One of Rioja's very best whites. 2022-30