Phinca San Julián 2018

The 2018 Phinca San Julián has a very balsamic nose reminiscent of vermouth, spicy and herbal, with notes of cola nut, nutmeg, cinnamon and aromatic herbs like rosemary and thyme. This blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha and Viura was harvested at the end of October. The palate is very austere and reveals abundant dusty tannins and integrated acidity. It finishes dry. Perhaps this was suffering from the recent bottling, but I found it quite harsh. A bit of a question mark today. It spent two winters in 225-liter oak barrels, for a total of 22 months. 1,120 bottles were filled in October 2020.

"A 0.6-hectare parcel that represents what the Rioja Alavesa looked like over 100 years ago," is how David Sampedro describes this Laguardia field blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha and Viura among other grapes. Intense, focused and tannic, with a hint of farmyard funk, a touch of sweetness, lots of bramble and damson fruit and understated new oak. 2023-26