Description
An exciting new wine to the range made to exemplify the best Valtuille village level example, this steps up to 100% whole cluster inclusion (just like the single parcel crus/everything from this point forward). As it is so new, I don’t have much technical info on it, but I made a point of insisting that we can include this wine as well. I am a freak for the details and the diversity…..! Based on my experience with the house as well as Luis’ awesome sounding review, we have yet another ridiculously good subtance meets value play, with what sounds like some of the most beguiling finesse in the range (up to this point)…..What can I say other that go big and thank me later….!!
“If the range was not wide and confusing enough, there is a new 2018 Valtuille Vino de Villa to fulfill the new official category of village wines in the DO Bierzo. It’s a blend of different plots from the village, fermented separately, all old vines with a Mencía-based field blend that also contains some Garnacha Tintorera, Bastardo and even white varieties, mostly from the plots that are bottled separately. It fermented with 100% full clusters in 5,000-liter oak vat and matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels for one year. This is serious, subtle and perfumed, refined, expressive and floral, with great finesse. It has a medium body with terrific balance and great freshness (some of the early harvested plots were part of the blend), purity and finesse that showcase the style of the year. The tannins are very fine and silky. This is a very impressive first effort. It feels like the blend of different places has given it an extra dimension. To give you an idea, all the 2018s have lower alcohol, and this is 13.4% alcohol with 6.11 grams of acidity (in tartaric). 4,900 bottles were filled in May 2020.” 94 Luis Gutierrez