Itsasmendi 7 2018

Their eponymous 2019 Itsasmendi is a blend of approximately equal quantities of Hondarrabi Zuri (Gros Corbu) and Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia (Petit Corbu) with 12.7% alcohol, a low pH and notable acidity, from a vintage they consider very good, up there with 2015. The vines were planted from 1990 on different soils, fermented separately (there might be up to three weeks difference in ripening), and some lots matured with the lees for a short time. It is citrusy and floral, with a touch of fennel. It's still a little sulfury/reductive/dizzy from the recent bottling. The palate, which has to be the guide in these circumstances, is solid, seamless, balanced and tasty, with a notable salty finish. Production varies between 120,000 and 180,000 bottles bottled throughout the year from a single master blend.