Bodegas y Vinedos Ponce - Manchuela DO - Ponce - Rouge - 2021

Wine:

Following an impressive 2020 vintage, the 2021 red Manchuela Ponce continues to dazzle. Here, the bobal grape achieves a divine expression, vinified and aged in large wooden vats that preserve its vibrant fruit and unwavering freshness. Deep, complex, flavorful, and moderate in alcohol, this red defies all stereotypes about Spanish wines! With its great finesse, aromas of black fruits, spices, and roses, its rich and genuine fruit set against a solid and fleshy backdrop of great balance, it stands as yet another monument from the Peninsula. Meant to be savored over 10 years or more. Viva España! Rated 97/100 by Parker.

Vinification:

Hand-harvested. La Ensancha parcel of vines over 60 years old. 100% indigenous yeasts. Aged 17 months in 600-liter French oak barrels. No fining or filtration.

Color:

Intense, brilliant red.

Nose:

Beautifully defined aromas of black fruits underlined by a spicy, peppery framework.

Palate:

An elegant wine with juicy fruits, this complex, gourmet cuvée develops fine, powerful tannins on a concentrated, sapid mid-palate.

Temperature:

Serve between 14 and 16°C.

Food and wine pairing:

Entrecote with shallots, morel mushroom risotto, stuffed duck with crisp vegetables, veal stew with olives.

Cellar aging:

From now until 2031

Juan Antonio Ponce, the new icon of the Spanish vineyard, challenges Rioja with his wines that are astonishing in their freshness and purity. Noticed by Robert Parker from his first vintages, Ponce operates in the Manchuela region, near Valencia, brilliantly proving that it's possible to produce top-quality wines in this area.

Practicing organic farming, revitalizing indigenous grape varieties, and relying on old vines, he elevates the Manchuela appellation. Often highly rated by "Parker," he remains somewhat under the radar, yet his reputation continues to soar!