2016 Macan

The 2016 Macán saw a new vinification by plot with the introduction of their new fermentation room. The Tempranillo came from selected vineyards from their 92 hectares; it fermented in oak vats and matured in 4,000-liter and barriques (50/50) for some 16 months and was kept in bottle for three years before being released. They think this 2016 is finally the style they were looking for, a wine with density and freshness. 2016 was the first year they vinified and aged from start to finish in the new winery, and they believe that gave them better control over the fermentations. 2016 is a year with more freshness than 2015, and they are trying to achieve wines with more tension and less power and oak than in the beginning. This could very well be the finest vintage of Macán so far. The grapes were picked between September 17th and October 3rd. 87,792 bottles, 2,570 magnums and some larger formats were produced. The wine was bottled in September 2018.

Sweet-berry, lavender and blueberry aromas follow through to a full body with round, juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. A little hard now. Try after 2021.

100% Tempranillo from a fantastic vintage in Rioja, with easily workable, very healthy grapes. Ageing of 16 months in casks and barrels looking for light roast and great finesse, 30 months in the bottle. Let me be resounding just for this once: 2016 is the best vintage of Macán so far. Definitely. It is a spicy wine, tamed by the foudre, with a degree of structure and aromatic depth from the barrel. It has a lot of flavour, freshness, salinity; mouth-watering. It is a deep wine, with fully melted tannins, lots of wild red fruit. It grows in the glass, in a subtle style but with flavour. It has the purity and elegance of those somewhat addictive wines, the kind you always want to smell and taste over and over again. (FC)