2012 Malvasia

The 2012 Malvasia is produced from the grape known as Alarije, a very humble grape from Extremadura, also cultivated under the name Subirat Parent in Cataluna. The full name is Malvasia Riojana. The nose is very balsamic and reminds me of bayleaf and freshly-cut grass. It has a completely different aromatic profile to the rest of whites, with a medium-bodied palate that ends with a pleasant bitter note. Strangely enough, it reminded me of some Loureiro from Galicia. Drink 2014-2018. Abel Mendoza, a true vigneron from San Vicente de la Sonsierra, looks after 20 hectares of vineyards that his wife, Maite, turns into some 70,000 bottles per year. They started in 1988, like many others, selling a young, carbonic maceration red, and since then, sticking to their guns, they have slowly climbed all the way to the top. Nowadays they have no less than six whites, five varietal ones (they are only missing Maturana Blanca) and the last one a blend of all five local white grapes aptly called 5V. All white varietals are produced in the same way, fermented in new French oak barriques where they stay for five months in contact with its fine lees, so tasting them together makes for a fascinating comparison of the characteristics of the different grapes. I found their quality quite similar, and preferences come down to personal taste. Even though the winery seems to somehow have specialized in whites, they also produce a full and very noteworthy range of reds. Imported by Jose Pastor Selections, Richmond, CA; tel. (510) 237-0077; www.josepastorselections.com