2011 Escudero Sourdais Vinas Viejas De Soria

The 2011 Vinas Viejas is the only wine produced in their initial vintage, a blend of the four plots of old-vine Tempranillo (and a little Albillo, as in most of the old vineyards) that they own in the village of Atauta (Soria) which was fermented in an open oak vat with one pigeage and some remontage for the oxygenation, aiming for no extraction whatsoever. The wine aged in used Burgundy barrels. It is austere and serious, with a mixture of blue and black fruit notes, subtle spices and incipient complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with prominent, fine-grained tannins and enough acidity, finishing slightly warm. It has good balance and stuffing to age, but it’s still a bit hard. 1,200 bottles were filled in June 2013. Drink 2015-2019. ES are the initials of Escudero and Sourdais, the two partners in this small project, Bertrand Sourdais (ex Dominio de Atauta, and Domaine de Pallus in Chinon) and his girlfriend. They own four plots of old vines in Atauta (Soria), the source for these wines. They are produced in tiny quantities and they are not cheap, but very good indeed. No known American importer.