Jose Gil El Calado del Espino 2022

The white that I tasted still without name from the 2021 vintage is finally called 2022 El Calado del Espino, as it was not possible to name it after their young daughter Maia, which was their intention. It was produced with Viura grapes from two plots in Labastida, one 50 and the other 80 years, old on limestone rich soils. The whole clusters were pressed in a vertical press (the 2023 and 2024 were pressed in a pneumatic press) and fermented in their underground cave in new and used 500-liter barrels and some 54-liter glass demijohns. It matured in those fermentation vessels for 11 months. It has higher ripeness than the initial vintage, reflecting the conditions of the year, with 13.4% alcohol but with very good freshness and acidity. It's clean, focused and very precise, with better integrated oak. It's long, tasty and saline and more mineral than fruit driven. There's no sensation of ripeness at all, and it's very complete, with more of everything. It's elegant, harmonious and nuanced. It's approachable, but time in bottle should do it good. This is superb. Only 1,350 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2023. They have decided to hold onto the 2021 and release it later; it's a wine with high acidity and aging potential. (Luis Guitérrez)