Lecciones de Vuelo 2018

94 Points - The Wine Advocate

Grape: Grenache
Alcohol: 14% abv
Type: Dry Red
Vintage: 2018
Format: 75cl
Designation: Navarra DO
Sub-Region: Ribera Baja
Country: Spain

49.95

Qty

Description

As the name suggests “Flying Lessons”, exploring life and the vine without limits! Another single vineyard wine coming mostly from ungrafted vines of an average age of 140 years (therefore pre-phylloxera). The second guest guest for Lecciones de Vuelo was one of the founders of Zorzal Wines in Argentina: Matías Michelini: “Sé realista, pide lo imposible” is the sentence for this harvest 2018 with Matías. This second meeting for Lecciones de Vuelo was a lesson of friendship and humanity, as well as humility and respect that can’t be forgotten. This is a complex vintage, winter was mild but spring was very rainy and cold. Flowering and veraison were 20 days later than previous vintage, although due to the high temperatures in September, the delay was compensated in 2 weeks. Rain was the most prominent element of the vintage after 2 years of water deficit but there was an extra effort in the vineyard management. At the end we can say It was a historically fresh and good vintage. This was produced with Garnacha grapes from their ancient vineyard Pontigos, where the soils are stony and rich in limestone. The grapes from this vineyard are also used to produce the wine Señora de las Alturas, and this is faintly riper. It fermented in a 3,000-liter concrete vat with natural yeasts and full clusters and later matured in a 700-liter concrete Nomblot egg and a used 500-liter oak barrel for 15 months. This is earthier, with notes of flint stone/gunpowder, a little more rustic than the more aerial Señora de las Alturas. This is rich, textured and with abundant, fine-grained tannins that contribute to the overall earthier profile of the wine; there is more concentration, a little more rusticity, perhaps because the grapes used are from the lower-yielding part of the vineyard. Only 1,600 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2020. Clear, bright, mid-intensity, garnet colour with an intense nose full of forest fruits and red fruit aromas with hints of earthiness and spice. Palate is dry and fresh with marked acidity. Broad and balanced, full and meaty, some attractive bitterness and green notes, characteristic of the grape variety. A wine with minerality and distinctive character which is persistent on the palate. Pair with pasta, pulses, cured meats and charcuterie and any type of grilled meat. Serve at 14-16ºC.


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