La Estrecha 2023

The 2023 La Estrecha comes from a vineyard on granite soils that Ponce had the intuition could produce an elegant wine with finesse and floral notes that Bobal can sometimes deliver. It's an old vineyard, and as such, it's not 100% Bobal; all the vineyards have a field blend with a percentage of other varieties, some 10% here, that give nuances. The full clusters fermented in 4,500-liter oak vats, and the wine matured in a single 5,000-liter foudre for 10 months. It has a bright ruby color and a super expressive, clean, elegant and nuanced nose. It keeps the fine-boned character; it's complex, has depth and complexity; the tannins are ultra-refined; and it's very chalky, which gives a seriousness. It's silky but powerful, balanced and fresh, super long. This has to be the finest vintage of La Estrecha. It was bottled in late July 2024 and 5,000 bottles were produced. I also had a bottle of 2008, the second vintage, and the wine was incredibly elegant and complex.

This is one of the best bobals out there and is definitely worth seeking out. Complex and nuanced, with a mineral quality to the fruit. Slightly richer than 2021 and probably just a tad less refined, but it holds that clarity, mineral fullness and tension, with herbs, red berries, grapefruit, chalk and a bit more roundness. The palate grows with minerality and the finish is taut and ample yet precise. Delicious now, but will hold well. (Zekun Shuai)