2018 Rioja El Velado

The 2018 El Velado comes from a southeast-facing vineyard in the village of Lanciego that has a high proportion of Garnacho from Viñaspre as well as other varieties in a field blend where Tempranillo dominates. 2018 was a wet year that produced mildew in the vineyards and resulted in a late harvest (October 8th to November 1st). It fermented in an open-top 3,000-kilo oak vat with indigenous yeasts and matured in barriques and foudres for 14 to 16 months. This feels more balanced and fresher than other vintages, and the wine is quite fluid, a year of good yields and fine tannins. The grapes developed fully, as the cycle was long and the ripeness very good. 1,531 bottles were filled in May 2020.