Dominio de Es La Mata 2016

La Mata is a new single-vineyard wine that was first produced in 2016, and I tasted the 2016 La Mata from bottle and previewed the 2017 from cask. It comes from a tiny plot planted with mostly Tempranillo (with some white grapes) from ancient vines (the age is unknown, but they estimate it could be 140 years old) on clay and limestone soils, dry farmed and in the process of being converted to biodynamic. It fermented with 25% full clusters in a small oak vat with indigenous yeasts and matured in two barriques. The nose is heady, ripe, perfumed, open and a little organic, with a touch of peat and wet slate. This is more textured and serious, from the cooler part of Ribera del Duero from a vineyard that gets the morning light but doesn't get the sun in the afternoon. It has plenty of grainy tannins, different from La Diva, with power but without any heaviness, but it still feels riper and darker. This is less my style than La Diva. Some 600 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2018.

This gives your system a jolt, thanks to its vibrant blueberry aroma and powerful, but well integrated tannins. Quite sleek and remarkably energetic, with a long, dry and very mineral finish for this appellation. Drink or hold. This probably has long-term aging potential.