La Vitoriana, La Vizcaina de Vinos, Bierzo, 2020
La Vitoriana is a wonderful vineyard located at 600m elevation facing north in Valtuille. Remarkably, the vines date back to 1881 and are still planted on original Pie Franco rootstocks thanks to the higher proportion of sand in the upper section of the vineyard. Aromatically open and suave, the 2017 leaps from the glass with soft strawberry, cherry and cassis notes. Silky, plummy flavours, soft velvety tannins and chocolatey notes emerge and produce and beautifully measured Bierzo with no hard edges and just a very fine acid thread. Immediately approachable. Fermented in large wooden vats on the skins for up to 90 days before maturation in neutral 500L casks and 225L barrique.
critic reviews
The 2020 La Vizcaina La Vitoriana matured mostly in a troncoconic oak foudre and had a very short time in barrel. This wine has more Alicante Bouschet in the blend than others, and they didn't include the white grapes in the vineyard. But against all logic, the wine has more finesse than the 2019. 6,000 bottles produced.