P.F 2016

"The recently bottled 2016 P.F shows more of its mineral, chalky side with softer, fine-grained tannins than its sibling from 2015. It also has lower alcohol and more freshness. The grapes come from ungrafted (pie franco in Spanish, or p. f.) and head-pruned Bobal vines from a vineyard that sits at 900-meters altitude. The vineyard was planted over 90 years ago and contains a field blend of different varieties, and some of those varieties (5% of Garnacha, some Moravia Agria, Marisancho, etc.) were added to the Bobal. It fermented together with indigenous yeasts in 4,500-liter oak vats and had a gentle vinification and longish maceration. The wine then matured in well-seasoned 600-liter French oak barrels. It's very lively, stony and mineral, with very good depth and incipient complexity, even if the wine is still very young. 9,000 bottles were filled in July 2017. This could very well be the textbook wine that defines the Ponce style".

Intensity and depth here. Black cherries, plums and blackberries with attractive violets and earthy, dark-mineral accents. Immaculate palate that's supple, silky, smoothly ripe and layered. Dark chocolate. Superb wine. Drink or hold.