Escondite del Ardacho El Abundillano 2023

Wine Description for Escondite del Ardacho El Abundillano 2023 by Tentenublo

Colour & Appearance

Luminous cherry red in the glass, clear and brilliant – a visual foretaste of the purity of this wine.

Nose

Enchantingly fresh and precise: ripe cherry meets an aromatic herb garden with thyme and oregano. The nose possesses that crystalline clarity one hopes for from old Garnacha vines in cool high-altitude sites – sensual, yet never overwrought.

Palate

The entry surprises with silky elegance rather than the expected power at 15% alcohol. Fine-grained tannins caress the palate, whilst a peppery spice counterpoints the red fruit. The balance between acidity, alcohol and medium body is flawless – nothing dominates, everything harmonises. Remarkable: from the nine months in used barrels, nothing is apparent, only pure fruit and terroir.

Finish

Long, juicy and with an invigorating spice that invites the next sip. The freshness persists right to the end.

Terroir & Origin

This rarity comes from a tiny 0.95-hectare parcel in the Basque Rioja Alavesa at 590 metres altitude. Garnacha is nearly extinct here – making these 98 to 113-year-old vines all the more precious. The northerly Cierzo wind and the Atlantic-Mediterranean mixed climate shape the character just as much as the iron oxide-rich marl and sandstone soils.

Grape Variety & Vinification

90% Garnacha, 9% Tempranillo, 1% Malvasia Riojana. Roberto Oliván works with spontaneous fermentation in open vats and nine months ageing in used barrels – a minimalist intervention that gives maximum expression to the terroir.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Perfect with grilled lamb rack with herb crust, braised rabbit with thyme or mature hard cheeses. The wine’s spice also harmonises beautifully with chorizo or Pimientos de Padrón.

Special Features

With only 1,626 bottles, a genuine rarity. This wine proves that Rioja Alavesa has more to offer than Tempranillo – and that old Garnacha vines in cool high-altitude sites can produce wines of extraordinary finesse and drinkability.