Escondite del Ardacho, Las Guillermas 2019

Wine description for Escondite del Ardacho Las Guillermas 2019 by Tentenublo

Colour & Appearance

Clear, luminous cherry red – transparent and brimming with youthful freshness, without a trace of heaviness in the glass.

Nose

Seductively fresh and unusually multi-layered: red berries, a whisper of apple skin and delicate floral notes immediately reveal the defining hand of Viura. Not cool austerity, but an inviting, almost playful aromatics that sparks curiosity.

Palate

A red wine with the soul of a white wine – and that is meant as the highest compliment. The Viura sets the pace: crisp, vibrant acidity, slender body, fine, barely perceptible tannin. Not a gram of fat, not a gram of excess. Instead: precision, tension and an almost mineral straightforwardness that recalls the Atlantic coast of Galicia rather than the classic Rioja profile.

Finish

Long, taut and refreshing. The finish glides elegantly through, with lingering acidity and a light fruit echo. Inviting to drink right to the last sip.

Terroir & Origin

Two neighbouring parcels in Rioja Alavesa at 400 metres altitude – together just 0.62 hectares. The vines are around 70 years old and root deep in soil that gives the wine its characteristic freshness and minerality.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Tempranillo (60%) and Viura (40%) grow on each of the two parcels and are harvested and fermented together – an archaic practice, almost forgotten in Rioja. Nine months of maturation in used wooden barrels gently round out the wine without overwhelming its fresh character.

Food Pairing Recommendations

Ideal with salmorejo – the wine’s acidity plays beautifully with the tomato sweetness. Equally a perfect companion to fried anchovies, whose salty crispness brilliantly contrasts with the wine’s freshness.

Special Features

A parcel wine of a different kind: bold, idiosyncratic and uncompromisingly authentic. Co-fermentation of red and white wine grapes is a rarity in Rioja – here it becomes a strength. Not your usual Rioja – and that is precisely what makes this wine so unforgettable.