Alabaster 2016

Despite high levels of tannins, they’re silky, fine-grained and almost totally integrated into the dense, complex palate. Raspberries, elderberries, red plums, fennel and dark chocolate with smoky minerality. Incredibly precise; long and resonant, with sure-footed grace. Drinking Window 2020 - 2036

Made from 100% Tinta de Toro that spent 18 months in French oak, the 2016 Alabaster has a rich, powerful bouquet of blueberries, blackberries, crushed violets, Asian spices, and chocolate. This ripe, sexy, incredibly opulent wine has beautiful depth of fruit, ripe, present tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It's one of those sexy and opulent wines that stays elegant and seamless. It’s going to knock your socks off over the coming 15-20 years.

The 2016 Alabaster was produced with grapes from ancient ungrafted vines, three plots that total 12 hectares that yield no more than 800 grams per hectare, but bear in mind, there might be 900 to 1,100 plants per hectare. The grapes were hand-destemmed and fermented in open vats after being foot trodden. The wine matured in new French barriques for 18 months. 2016 was a cold and wet year when the grapes ripened slowly and late. Yields were high and the plants took time to ripen all the grapes, so alcohols are a little higher, acidity lower and there are plenty of tannins. This is more backward and undeveloped than the 2017. One to wait. 4,000 bottles were filled in July 2019.

A Toro with very polished and refined tannins, a silky texture and beautiful fruit. Full body, yet racy and tight with a lot of tension and focus. Big and structured wine. Needs four to five years to soften. Try after 2022.