Guía Peñin (96/100)
James Suckling (96/100)
A depth of fresh dark berries and black plums is adorned with complex graphite, balsam, fine spices and cocoa powder with hints of bay leaves and minerals. Tannins are tense, nervy and chalky. Long and tightly wound but well-dissolved. One of the best examples of Macan. An exciting vintage.
R. Parker (95/100)
The 2021 Macán is from a year that had above-average rainfall and some hail in June that lowered yields but good weather during harvest. It has 1% Graciano. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol, with a pH of 3.8 and five grams of acidity. This year, they used 100% indigenous yeasts, and the élevage was in new barrels (50%) and 4,000-liter oak foudres and lasted 12 months, followed by another six months in 20,000-liter oak vats. This is serious, harmonious and subtle, more elegant than any vintage before, reflecting the freshness from the year. It's nicely built, very proportioned, with balance, freshness and abundant but fine-grained tannins. It's one of the finest if not the finest vintages to date.
Jancis Robinson (18/100)
A blend of 99% Tempranillo and 1% Graciano, the latter introduced for the first time to enhance the wine’s spicy nuance. The vintage was marked by higher-than-average rainfall, a temperate spring and intense June storms that brought some hail, followed by mild temperatures during harvest. The fruit comes from vines averaging 40 years of age, planted on the highest terraces in San Vicente, Labastida, Ábalos, Navaridas and Elvillar – parcels farther from the River Ebro, rooted in poorer, limestone-based soils with a sandy-clay structure and significant gravel content, yielding wines of naturally greater concentration. The wine was aged for 12 months in barrels and foudres, followed by 6 months in the large French-oak vats characteristic of the estate, and finally underwent 28 months of bottle ageing.
The 2021 is a notably refined expression of Macán. Aromatically it offers cedar, graphite and a touch of Indian ink, while the palate shows a chalky precision and impressive depth. The oak is far more understated than in earlier vintages, allowing the wine’s innate finesse to emerge clearly. The texture is seamless – almost pure silk – and the finish long, harmonious and quietly powerful. A vintage of elegance and definition, with excellent ageing potential.