La Plazuela 2011

Widely considered the best red from La Mancha, the 2011 La Plazuela is a blend of Cencibel (the local strain of Tempranillo) and 20% Garnacha Tintorera (aka Alicante Bouschet); the grapes are sourced from dry farmed, head-pruned old vineyards on chalk-rich soils and fermented with indigenous yeasts in a small stainless steel vat. The aging is quite convoluted, one year in cement vats (really old 'tinajas' or 'conos'—what we'll call amphora now), where it goes through malolactic fermentation, then 18 months in French oak barriques; after that, it goes back to the cement for settling down before bottling some four years after the harvest. The nose is really different from its siblings with some mineral, diesel-like aromas, hints of iodine intermixed with sweet spices and a creaminess from the oak. The palate is medium-bodied, with abundant, very fine tannins, with great concentration and power without a hint of aggressiveness. This is a wine with stuffing and balance, as well as good acidity. Very tasty and fresh, it slowly develops notes of licorice. It could very well be the best vintage of La Plazuela so far. I wish there were more wines like this in La Mancha. This is a red for the long haul, so the oakiness (which is significantly lower than in previous vintages anyway) does not bother me much, as the wine has enough stuffing to absorb it. So if you don't like oaky reds, leave it alone for five years, as it has all that it takes to make old bones. In any case, this wine will not be launched until the end of 2016. 6,000 bottles were filled in January 2016.