Challao Blanco 2020

2020 / 95 puntos

The new white 2020 Challao Blanco is a classical blend of 60% Viura, 20% Garnacha Blanca and 10% each Palomino and Calagraño from one vineyard planted in 1990 in the lieu-dit Sauco in the northeast of Labastida bordering vineyards on white silt and limestone soils. The juice fermented in a 500-liter oak barrel where it matured for 23 months and was kept in bottle before it was released. It feels like an old-style white Rioja fermented and matured in oak, with spice and smoke. It has 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.3 after malolactic and comes through as very vertical and fine-boned. It keeps very good acidity with the pungent limestone sensation and tastiness. There was rain close to the harvest, so the grapes had enough water to finish ripening without dropping in acidity. It has very good balance, elegance and persistence, a modern view of the traditional whites, with aging potential. Only 600 bottles and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in November 2022.