El Rapolao, La Vizcaina de Vinos, 2016

Tasting Note:

Wonderful energy and clarity on the nose, the Vizcaina El Rapolao has a sense of bright, floral exuberance backed up by vivid red fruits, wild berries, rocky spices and fresh purple flowers. From a total of 1.5 hectares split across two parcels, one planted in the 1920s and the other in 1980. The older parcel is predominantly hard clay and stones, while the younger parcel has looser, more organic soils and they blend to create a wine of fine minerality and salinity, with silken fruit and style. Elevation averages 550m and exposition moves from north to west. Fermented with 100% whole clusters in traditional wooden vats. Compared to the rest of the La Vizcaina range, El Rapolao sees slightly a shorter skin contact, generally between 30-45 days, and ages for 12 months purely in 500L barrels rather than 225L barrique, yielding a wine of medium body, cool elegance and wonderful persistence.