Finca La Emperatriz Blanco 2017

The shift to a Bordeaux model, with the focus on a small number of estate wines, has paid off for Hermanos Hernáiz. This is a superb Viura from its stony soils in Baños de Rioja, sourced from vines of between 50 and 70 years' old. Balanced, nuanced, focused and intense, it has lovely struck match, citrus and jasmine notes, scented wood and a long, pithy, palatecleansing finish. 2021-29.

The 2017 Finca la Emperatriz Gran Vino Blanco has a clean nose and a soft palate with integrated acidity and good freshness. It has balsamic notes of bay leaf and chamomile and a sleek mouthfeel with focused and clean flavors and a long and tasty finish. It's not a showy wine; it has restraint and elegance and is a bit shy right now, but it should develop nicely in bottle. 16,896 bottles and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in April 2019.

A Viñedo Singular (single vineyard) wine, and the distinction is clearly justified in this case: serious structure, delicate expression, quite unique in its nuances of citrus fruit and dried flowers. A long finish leaves an overall impression of refinement. Poised for the long term. Drinking Window 2022 - 2037.

Baked peaches, cloves, hazelnuts, dried lemons and white lavender on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with an oily texture. Rich and nutty layers. Nice persistency. Viura. Drink now.