La Vicalanda Viñas Viejas 2018

The new old-vine cuvée 2018 La Vicalanda Viñas Viejas was produced with Tempranillo from 30+-year-old vines in the Rioja Alta zone and selected in the winery to ferment in open concrete pools for 10 days followed by two weeks of maceration. Malolactic was in French oak barrels, and the élevage was in large foudre and Allier barrels and lasted 12 months. It's 14% alcohol and has a pH of 3.61. It has black fruit and wild herbs on the nose that is clean and has some herbal undertones. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with good balance and fine tannins and a slightly astringent finish. It should age well. 50,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2021.

Like the Vicalanda white, the red version is a varietal wine, although this time it's made from Tempranillo rather than Tempranillo Blanco. Sweet, forward and well balanced, with way less oak than it used to have, bramble and summer berry fruit and some underlying old vine concentration. 2023-28.