MACÁN CLASICO 2020

Description

Macán Clásico 2021 is the result of the most fascinating joint project in Spanish viticulture: the alliance between Tempos Vega Sicilia and the Compañía Vinícola Barón Edmond de Rothschild within the DOCa Rioja. Two legendary families from the wine world — the Álvarez and the Rothschilds — united since 2004 with a common mission: to create the great wines that Rioja Sonserrana deserves.

From their own facilities in Rioja, inaugurated in 2016, where innovation, technology, and cutting-edge enology converge, the technical team cares year-round for 100 hectares of vineyard distributed among the municipalities of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Labastida, Ábalos, Navaridas, and Elvillar, at an altitude of 483 meters. The soils are calcareous with a clay-sandy profile, perfect for Tempranillo, with the vineyards having an average age of 30 years.

The 2021 vintage was, according to the winery team, the best harvest for Macán Clásico to date. The harvest was splendid: healthy, fresh, and very fruity grapes with crunchy skins. It was the second consecutive year that field-blended Grenache bunches were incorporated alongside the Tempranillo, adding additional freshness and liveliness to the blend. A spring with above-average rainfall, a slight frost in June that affected seven hectares without compromising the rest of the vineyard, and a stable end to the cycle with mild temperatures completed a year with a more Atlantic and fresh character than previous vintages.

The vinification is precise: fermentation in stainless steel tanks with 50% native yeasts. The aging combines 40% in new French oak barrels, 30% in second-use French oak, 5% in American oak, while the remaining 25% stays in stainless steel tanks. In total, the wine ages 14-16 months in barrel followed by a period of rest in the bottle. Bottled in August 2023.

Of a bright ruby-red color. On the nose, very aromatic and gorgeously expressive: layers of fresh red fruits — gooseberry, cherry, raspberry — with herbal notes of thyme and rosemary, cigars, sweet spices, and an elegant Atlantic touch. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, silky, and relentlessly fresh, with very fine-grained tannins and a chalky texture, perfectly balanced and with a long, refined finish. The best Macán Clásico to date.

Rated 97 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 95 points by Wine Advocate (Luis Gutiérrez). Aging potential until 2035-2040. Serving temperature: 16-18°C. Ideal for game birds, fine white meats, lamb, seasonal stews, Iberian ham, and aged cheeses.