Phincas 2011

"The 2011 Phincas is produced with Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha and (white) Viura from the village of Elvillar, the grapes that do not go to any of the single-vineyard wines, so this is like the "village" wine. All his vineyards are organically farmed with part of it biodynamic (the parts that he considers more logical). Fifty percent full clusters were used in the fermentation of this wine as this was a ripe vintage, in an oak vat with indigenous yeasts and a little sulfur on the grapes. The grapes are foot trodden and then the wine is pumped over the hat. Once fermentation is over, the wine is transferred to barrels for malo and a long aging of two years in 500-liter used barrels. This is a clean, modern Rioja with nice aromatics, balsamic, proper ripe cherries and hints of the elevage. The palate is medium-bodied, with more depth and concentration compared with the 2012 Bilhar Plots, with fine tannins and good balance that make it approachable from now, quite pleasant and easy to drink. 10,000 bottles produced."