La Baixada 2021

Like the rest of the 2021s, I tasted the bottled 2021 La Baixada in early 2024, though I had previously tasted it as a barrel sample in early July 2022. The bottled wine is 94% Garnacha and 6% Cariñena with 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.45 after spending 12 months in oval French oak foudres. The 2021 summer was cool and the crop was large. The wine feels a little less concentrated with good ripeness. It has a bright nose with a predominance of red fruit. The wine is still powerful and has more tannins than the rest of the 2021s; it's more open within the elegant profile of the 2021s. It evolves with lots of elegance in the glass. This is a very strong showing for La Baixada. 3,300 bottles were produced. It was bottled in February 2023. (Luis Gutiérrez) 

This rather recent addition to Alvaro Palacios’ “crus” is delivering greatness and consistency. More mineral with blue fruit here with a hint of white pepper funk that is spot-on to give it an additional layer. I love the chalkiness of the tannins on the palate, making you think of crumbled stones ground to a very fine, mealy powder. Almost fibrous tension with a long and exciting finish. Quite irresistible now, but should hold well. (Zekun Shuai)