2016 Real de Asua

The Real de Asua is a selection of hand-harvested grapes (100% Tempranillo) from some of CVNE’s best plots throughout Rioja Alta. From a long and equilibrated vintage, the 2016 Real de Asua is all about balance and poise. Both the vintage and the terroir contribute greatly here, and the essence of Real de Asua is to show the best that any vintage can offer without the constraints of traditional Rioja ageing requirements, spending 14 months in French and American oak. 2016 was a standout vintage in Rioja: “when it comes to 2016, it was one of those rare years when the crop held both quality and quantity. Many talk about it as the best vintage since 2010 (and even since 2004), a year with good freshness and acidity.” (Luis Gutierrez). The result is a wine with brilliant fruit, great depth and textural tannins, superb freshness and a seriously long and elegant finish. Everything is as it should be right now, with the added promise after a few years in bottle of the melting away of the still firm tannins, to reveal even greater complexity, smoothness and elegance. Fragrant black cherry and dark plum fruit on the nose, along with sweet liquorice, tobacco, cocoa nibs and just a hint of vanilla. Very classic with ripe dark fruit and elegant, understated oak in perfect harmony. The texture is fantastic - the tannins and fresh acidity lend a perfectly structured frame, with ample fruit and concentration accompanying them into a long and serious finish. Superbly elegant and certainly showing great promise for evolution in bottle.