El Valao Pago de Valdoneje Mencía 2015

There is a new single-vineyard red, produced with fruit from a very old vineyard in Valtuille that gives the 2015 El Valao its name. The vineyard produced a fresher wine with more acidity, so they decided to keep it separate. 2015 is the first vintage. The wine fermented in 1,000-liter stainless steel vats and matured in used 225-liter French oak barrels. It has a floral and young nose, still somehow marked by the élevage, but with good stuffing and balance to integrate it in a few more months in bottle. The palate is very harmonious, juicy, balanced and fresh, with clean flavors. A promising debut. Drink Date: 2018-2021. Score – 92. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, Aug. 31, 2017)