Bernabeleva Arroyo del Tortolas 2020 (750ML)

94 WA

The 2020 Arroyo del Tórtolas is from a plot they consider wilder than the one for the single-vineyard bottlings. It's a north-facing slope, and the grapes ripen slowly. In 2020, this fermented with 80% full clusters and had over six weeks of maceration, then matured in three 500-liter barrels. The wine finished at a moderate 14% alcohol, with a pale color and a delicate nose, floral and spicy, with hints of rose hip and hibiscus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and integrated acidity. 1,900 bottles were filled in May 2022.-Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate

The vineyard is a narrow north facing 1.2 hectare steep hillside. The vines are 65 years old. The granitic soil is shallow and poor in organic matter, and therefore very unfertile. The changing features of the soil along the slope, as it comes closer to the Tórtolas stream, make us harvest in two stages. This plot is one of the first in ripening of our vineyards.

Vinification takes place in wooden tanks with a percentage of stems that depends on the vintage. The wine is trodden daily, either by foot or with the rammer. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French oak barriques that range from 225 to 600 liters, where the wine remains as long as necessary, always over 11 months.