Dominio de Es La Diva 2020

Pure, complex and almost ethereal on the nose, with minerals, rust, cocoa powder, thyme-like herbs and licorice to the fine blueberries. There is almost a pinot sensibility here. On the palate one gets the power, but there is also elegance and finesse, with a fine twist of white pepper to the red and blue fruit. Dense and juicy, yet chalky in texture and quite cerebral and nicely austere in style. A big wow! Drink or hold.

The bottled 2020 La Diva is lower in alcohol than any previous (and future?) vintage, at a moderate 13.42%. It had a very long maceration of 51 days and then matured in three used Burgundian barrels from November 2020 until February 2022, so a long élevage like the rest of 2020s. The long élevage seems to have lowered the voice of the wine and made it shy and a bit introverted; the nose is elegant and subtle, with notes of cherries and wild herbs. Like the rest of the 2020s, this is going to need patience. Only 841 bottles were filled in February 2022.