Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia Macan 2017 (750ML)

94 DE / 93 JS / 93 WA

A famously difficult year in Rioja with frost and hail, as well as some botrytis. However, Macán shows plenty of promise with dark damson fruit, very fine tannin and well managed oak. Definitely an encouraging progression from the first vintage (launched in 2009) with a much clearer expression of the terroir and more elegant oak. At 16 months, it spends four months longer in oak than Macán Clásico. The ageing in French oak is now divided between foudres and barriques.-Sara Jane Evans MW, Decanter

Aromas of ripe berries, spice and dried flowers with some licorice and meat. Full-bodied with round, rich tannins that are slightly chewy now. Yet, the wine shows lots of ripeness from the vintage, as well as length. Drink or hold.-James Suckling

2017 was a very challenging year, as most of their vineyards in San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja were affected by frost, unlike others in nearby Laguardia. Not only was it frost, but they also had hail later on in the season. Quantities suffered—they told me they lost 70% of the crop in Rioja that year—but they were happy about the quality of the 2017 Macán, being very careful with the fermentation and separating the press wine by quality. The 4,000-liter oak foudres helped to polish the tannins, and they used 50% new barrels. The élevage lasted 16 months. It's a little riper than the Clásico from 2018 that I tasted next to it, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and mellow acidity. It's clearly a weaker vintage, and the wine shows it: the fruit is a little ripe and shows some tiredness, like it's evolving at a faster pace. It has abundant, slightly rustic tannins. 40,400 bottles, 2,566 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in September 2019. Quantities reflect the low yields.-Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate