Piesdescalzos 2018

The top white is the singled-vineyard Albillo 2018 Piesdescalzos, and true to the character of the soil, it is always narrow and more mineral than your average Albillo (Real)—which is usually fruitier and lusher. Here, there is a slab of pink granite 30 to 50 centimeters below the surface, so the roots have had to find ways into the rock and the vigor of the plants is lower. The 0.7-hectare vineyard is located in a place called Peña Cruzada, and the vines are around 50 years old. The whole clusters were pressed in a pneumatic press for six hours, the juice let to settle for 24 hours, and then it was put in used French oak barrels to ferment with indigenous yeasts. It matured sur lie in a 1,200-liter oak foudre for 12 months. This has the sharp profile I remember from the 2012, with plenty of white flowers and an edgy, narrow palate that makes me think of a Riesling, as well as vibrant acidity, pungent flavors, the saline minerality of the granite soils and a very long finish. This has to be one of the finest vintages for Piesdescalzos. It was bottled without stabilizing or filtering, and 1,570 bottles were filled in November 2019. - Luis Gutiérrez.