El Rapolao, La Vizcaina de Vinos, Bierzo, 2018
The cooler profile of the 2018 vintage is perhaps most obviously felt in El Rapolao, one of the undisputed "Grand Crus" in Valtuille de Abajo. The tannins have a linear, crisp feel to them and the fruit an edgy freshness that speaks of violet, blueberries, herbal hedgerow fruit and a leafy, brambly quality. Very long and persistent on the palate, gradually El Rapolao starts to display more of the ethereality that it is renowned for with time in the glass. At this stage, it comes across as the most intellectual of the four reds; one that is complex, flowing and energetic, but with a certain hidden poise and seriousness that will see it age beautifully. Always a standout, Raul believes it to be a truly special site, and as such, produces multiple El Rapolao bottlings, each with its own character, in order to emphasise the diversity and significance of the vineyard. A steep north to west exposed hill, the La Vizcaina El Rapolao bottling comes from two plots, one mid-slope and one in the lower part, together averaging 550m of elevation, and comprising a total of 1.5HA. The older parcel in the mid-slope was planted in the 1920s on hard clay and stony soils and the younger, lower plot in the 1980s on clay with more organic material in the topsoil. The blend meets salinity and perfume with silkiness and style. Whole bunch fermented in wood and kept on the skins for 30-45 days before 12 months aging in purely neutral 500L French casks.
critic reviews
Vivid ruby-red. A highly expressive, complex bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, exotic spices, potpourri, and candied licorice. Palate-staining, appealingly sweet black raspberry, mulberry, cherry cola and floral pastille flavors show fine definition and a bracing core of smoky minerality. Displays outstanding tenacity on the youthfully tannic finish, which echoes the blue fruit, floral and spice notes.
There is a bit of an animal hint on the nose of the 2018 La Vizcaina El Rapolao, which Raul Perez tells me is always part of the character of the wine when it's young. The difference with the 2017 is the quality of the tannins, which rounder and more elegant here, and the concentration, which is lower here, so this 2018 comes through as more fluid, fresh and elegant, with a silkier mouthfeel. They finally bought the vineyard in 2018, and the change in viticulture resulted in lower yields: they produced 6,000 bottles of this 2018, compared with the 10,000 bottles of the 2017. They have bought three more plots for this bottling, so volumes will grow in the future. The initial sensation fades after the wine has been in bottle for one hour, and it makes sense that it's gong to disappear with some more time in bottle. Perez thinks it might be related to the recent bottling. It was bottled in May 2020, a few weeks before I tasted it.