Vivanco 4 Varietales Blanco de Guarda 2015

Rafa Vivanco has a special touch with blended whites, exemplified by the quality of this cuvée of Garnacha Blanca, Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco and Viura. This is a Riojameets-Jurançon style, with flavours of quince, apple and pear, subtle wood and grapefruity acidity. 2020-25

The top-of-the-range white 2015 Colección 4 Varietales Blanco de Guarda was produced with 40% Garnacha Blanca, 30% Maturana Blanca, 20% Tempranillo Blanco and 10% Viura aged with fine lees for over 36 months (that's three years!). This is only the second vintage released, sourcing grapes from their best terroirs (Tudelilla, San Vicente, Briones...). Only 20% of the volume fermented in 500-liter French oak barrels, so the oak is not an important player in the aromatics, which show some development from the slow oxidation through the élevage and again remind me of a late-bottled Albariño, with some Mediterranean herbs and notes of hay and straw. The palate is medium-bodied and very balanced, with clean and long-lasting flavors and a dry, serious finish. 3,626 bottles were filled in June 2017.

This shows some mellow, gently toasty, aged character, across dried-lemon, apple-pastry and herb aromas. The palate has a smooth, fresh and juicy feel with bright lemon and melon flavors, delivering a crisp finish. Drink now.