Quincha Corral 2012

"The 2012 Quincha Corral is a serious, classic old-vine Bobal from head-pruned vineyard planted in 1945 at 800 meters on sand and chalk soils. This is one of the single vineyard appellation wines, DOP El Terrerazo that was fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats and matured for 19 months in French oak barrels. The nose offers notes of plums, some creaminess and some spices on top of well-integrated oak aromas. There is an acute note of licorice intermixed with fennel, aniseed, thyme and rosemary as well. The medium to full-bodied palate has fine tannins and good acidity. The harshness and rusticity of the initial vintages has disappeared and the wine feels more sleek and polished, while keeping the Mediterranean character and the typicity of the Bobal (with its inherent "elegant" rusticity). I tasted 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009, and I can say that 2012 is most likely the best Quincha so far. From 2006 onward it's only Bobal (there was some 10% Bordeaux varieties in the earlier vintages) and the wines age more in a Rhône-style than in a Burgundy one. 2006 was a superb vintage in the Mediterranean arc. 5,600 bottles produced".