Rare and unique!
You could say that about many of our wines, I hear you object.
And you’d be absolutely right!
But…
- Rare: this wine is produced and released only every 2 to 3 years. Max 5,000 bottles.
Why only now and then? See point 2!
- Unique: do you know any other Spanish white wine blending 3 vintages together? We do have our red Unico Reserva Especial from Vega Sicilia, but that’s quite a different story. A white made this way is genuinely rare.
Let me explain:
This white Rioja (that’s what we’re talking about) is a blend from 3 tiny plots totaling 0.8 ha. Four grape varieties go into it, yet yields differ strongly from year to year. The only way to produce a reasonable volume is to blend several vintages. That creates a true house-style flagship white where both varietal mix and terroir shape the blend.
The latest Chocolate is called “Chocolate no. 4” and is composed of 25% Viura, 5% Malvasía, 35% Garnacha Blanca and 35% Maturana Blanca.
The vineyards are scattered across Rioja Alavesa, between Villabuena and Laguardia – the Basque part of Rioja. It’s also the highest zone, with vineyards between 500 and 600 m.
Ageing takes place both in 500-litre oak foudres and traditional 225-litre oak barriques.
The result is a very pleasant surprise.
I bet you’ve never tasted Maturana Blanca… It’s one of Rioja’s rarest – and oldest – grape varieties. Plantings are extremely limited today. This is one of the few white wines that includes it in the blend.
The palate is persistent, with notes of peach, a light spicy touch and plenty of freshness. A bit like young Marsanne. To me, very successful.
Would you like to taste it?
Be quick: the wine hasn’t been scored yet, but because of its rarity and uniqueness, bottles sell out fast.
It’s also a white built to age, full-bodied, with beautiful barrel ageing.
Exactly the kind of wine we love to drink this autumn!