his wine was dry, with a medium acidity but plenty of citrus and honeydew aromas and flavors including some minerality to it.
WINE DETAILS:
- Grape: Viura
- Alcohol: 12.5%
- Wine: El Coto Blanco
- Vintage: 2019
- Winery: El Coto
- Location: Rioja, Spain
- Date: 5/12/21
- Distributor: B. Fernández
Curious Synonyms: Macabeo, Alcañol, Blanca de Daroca, Lardot, Forcalla
Nerd Alert: The vine is widely planted all over north-east Spain and can make a wide range of wines both varietal and blends. It’s origin is from Spain and it’s believed to be the offspring of the grapes Hebén and Brustiano Faux.
Personal Note: This has been the most complicated published post in my short Instagram stint. At the moment I’m still on the fence as to whether this wine belongs here or not and the only reason I’m leaving it is to use it as an example of the labeling complications in the wine world. It all started very simple. I bought a wine that the distributors website called 100% Viura. I grabbed the bottle and as you can see in the second picture it says (translated) “Elaborated with grapes from the Viura varietal…”. Done deal right? Well, as I researched the grape and the wine, I came across a Jancis Robinson blog post from 2010 where she writes “Recently the governing body in Rioja decided in their wisdom that it would be a good idea to allow the international grape varieties Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc to produce white rioja, up to 49% of a blend, retaining (just) a majority of Viura.” That was followed by visiting the website of El Coto and ths wine is mentioned as being a blend. But the bottle does not. So I’m at a loss. I tried contacting the winery and the distributor. At the point of publishing I had no answer but if they reply, I will update the comments with a decision.
It’s important to say, the wine was good. I was never a heavy white rioja drinker, and most of the Macabeo (Viura) I drank came as 1/3 of the white grape trilogy that makes up Cavas. This wine was dry, with a medium acidity but plenty of citrus and honeydew aromas and flavors including some minerality to it. This is a well made wine young and crisp. The winery I’ve always loved and wine #3 on this list is theirs. Also, James Suckling seemed to like it giving it 92pts.
Thoughts?
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*Sources for the wine facts are from: Wine Searcher, Wikipedia, Vivino, wine.com, JancisRobinson.com, and the wineries websites.
