Valenciso, Rioja Blanco

Rioja is famed for its big reds matured and rounded in oak barrels. Well they do the same with white grapes too – Viura and Garnacha Blanco in this case. The great thing about this wine is that oak isn’t used to make a big, fat butter-bomb like those cheap Ozzy Chardonnays from the nineties. Here it gives depth and roundness to balance the natural acidity of the wine. Yes, it’s creamy, almost buttery, but it’s also nutty and deliciously crisp all at the same time.

Complex aromas combining floral characters with preserved lemon and gently smoky notes. The palate is intense and broad with nuts, stone fruit, minerality and balancing citrus acidity on the finish. Will continue to develop in the bottle.