Entre Palabras - Between Words 2023

This Tempranillo favours clarity over weight. In the glass, a dense, deep black cherry red with a dark core. The nose is focused and fresh, with sour cherry at its centre, alongside blueberry and redcurrant. Joined by cinnamon and clove, thyme, a touch of green olive, violet and morello cherry. The toasted notes stay subtle: bittersweet chocolate, cocoa nibs and freshly grated coconut.

The vineyards around Quintanilla de Arriba lie at 740 to 780 metres of altitude and were planted with Tempranillo in 1998. The cuvée comes from several sites, including both the coolest and the most powerful parcels on the estate. 2023 was extremely dry and consistently very warm; the bunches were thinned early to protect the vines, and harvest deliberately began in early September, which stabilised acidity levels and avoided overripeness.

Pure Tempranillo, fermented in steel tanks and large concrete eggs, with no focus on extraction. Malolactic fermentation follows in concrete tanks and 500-litre oak barrels, after which the wine ages for 13 months in 225- and 228-litre French oak barrels as well as 500-litre barrels of American and French origin, followed by five months in concrete tank for stabilisation. Luca d'Attoma has consulted for the winery since 2011.

Juicy and dense, the fruit generous yet clearly defined. The fine tannin provides structure in the background, while vibrant acidity holds ripe sour cherry and red and dark berries in tension. The finish stays juicy and inviting.

The bodega operates self-sufficiently: photovoltaics supply 90 to 95 percent of its electricity, and the sloped roof collects rainwater. Inside, gravity moves the grapes from stage to stage, with no pumps and no mechanical stress.