La Orquesta SotoManrique 2016

The 2016 La Orquesta has a very expressive nose that takes me back to the great Verdejo from the 1990s. It is sold almost two years after the harvest, as it ages in barrel for some 15 months. 2016 was a cooler year, with more rain, good yields and good ripeness at the end, so nicely balanced. It was harvested during the second half of September, and 50% fermented and aged in barrel, while the rest fermented in stainless steel and was then kept in clay amphorae. They are more interested in freshness than in structure and they don't want the oak to show. It has aromas of quince and hay, freshly cut grass and a pleasant varietal bitterness in the finish. It's pure Verdejo from within the limits of Rueda but sold as Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in October 2017.