Muchada-Leclapart Lumiere 2017 (750ML)

94 WA / 17 JR

I loved the 2017 Lumière, a white Palomino from old vines in the La Platera vineyard in Pago Miraflores that somehow made me think of the white topped-up wines from Jean-François Ganevat in the Jura. It was aromatic and open, very expressive and a bit funky, with faint spices and a touch of clove, but with a superb palate, round and balanced. It felt very harmonious and complex, with ever-changing notes of quince, decayed white flowers, white pepper and some sea breeze. The mouthfeel and texture were dry and chalky, and the finish was long and extremely tasty. This was vinified in well-seasoned Bordeaux barrels, yet it had no aromas or flavors of oak.

Muchada-Léclapart is one of the most talked-about new projects in the Jerez region, as it gets together Spaniard Alejandro Muchada—who, together with the guys from Mahara and Fernando Angulo, was part of Alba Viticultores in Jerez, one of the seminal projects in the zone—and Champagne superstar David Léclapart. Even though Alba and, of course, Léclapart are known for their sparkling wines, they are producing only still white wines, at least for now. - Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate

100% Palomino from Pago Miraflores La Plater in Sanlucar de Barrameda. Fermented and aged 10 months in used Bordeaux barrels. See the note on the 2018 Lumière for the background. Pungent nose, not star brigh clarity but so fresh, unusual and appetising. You can see a relationship to a Manzanilla but this seems more soulful somehose. Long, nutty, with an edge that borders on sourness but just manages not to be. Difficult to believe there is so much flavour and extract in a 12.5% wine. Deeply thrilling - a much better bottle than the first one I tasted that seemed to have little low-level TCA. - Jancis Robinson