La Pequeñita Maturana Blanco Macerado 2018

There is also a 2018 La Pequeñíta Blanco Macerado Maturana Blanca, which should not be confused with the Malvasía Riojana, as the front label is the same and the variety is only mentioned on the back label in small print... It's 100% Maturana Blanca (!) from young vines on the slopes of the Montes Obarenes. It had a slow fermentation with the skins in used 300- and 600-liter old clay pots (tinajas) and a long maceration of up to four months. The wine was transferred to a used 600-liter oak barrel, where it matured and decanted naturally for seven months. I think Maturana Blanca is the white grape with the most potential of all the "new" white varieties; even with a vinification and élevage as strong as this, the fingerprint of the variety is there. It has a lot in common with the Malvasía (the process) with its complexity and wild character, but the wine is a lot more vibrant in the palate, and it has livelier acidity and feels more agile. It has some fine tannins and a chalkiness I associate with limestone soils that also provide a tasty, almost salty finish. I love it. Only 747 bottles were filled in August 2019.