Montes Obarenes 2016

The white 2016 Montes Obarenes has to be one of the finest modern classical whites from Rioja. With a Burgundian twist and the finest vintage for this blend of Viura with 25% Tempranillo Blanco, it's a reinterpretation of the whites that were traditionally produced in Haro. Eighty percent of the volume fermented in new French oak barrels and the rest in concrete eggs, where it matured with lees until bottling. It has balsamic notes and a chalky sensation in the palate that reveals precision and freshness. There are notes of chamomile and dry flowers, fine wood and smoke. It has great balance, purity and length with a dry finish. It's austere and serious, with great elegance. This should age magnificently in bottle. 4,232 bottles and 200 magnums produced. It was bottled in June 2018.

Named after the mountains that run along the north-western edge of the Rioja region, this wonderful white wine marries Viura with 25% Tempranillo Blanco and is fermented and aged in a combination of French oak and concrete eggs. Rich, intense and stony, it's a Burgundy-meets-Rioja style, with leesy weight, plenty of dry extract and a chalky, palatetingling finish. 2020-26
 

A rich and deeply set nose with vanilla, butterscotch, butter, dried mangoes and passion fruit. Full-bodied and very mouth-filling, this still manages to retain a sense of freshness and direction, thanks to the straight-heading acidity. Drink now.