2021 El Rapolao
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The dark and earthy 2021 El Rapolao is quite generously oaked and reveals abundant toasted, spicy and smoky notes. The fruit is ripe and dark, black rather than red. Give it a little more time to better integrated the oak. It has abundant, slightly dusty tannins that would also benefit from some more time in bottle and/or powerful food. It's ripe at 14.2% alcohol, with higher ripeness than I'm seeing in the best examples from the cru. 1,800 bottles were filled after the wine spent eight months in 225-liter oak barrels.
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Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
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They now own 100% of the grapes used for the El Rapolao and the 2021 La Vizcaína El Rapolao, from the youngest vines in the paraje. There is a change from the previous year, as this time they used a 1,500-liter oak foudre to age part of the wine. It's a very clean year, with some notes of toasty sesame seeds, produced with a short maceration and moderate extraction. They put the wine in barrel after 45 days of maceration, and they feel they have been able to keep more freshness in the wine. It did show very well, with an iron touch and some slightly dusty tannins. It does have a rustic and earthy touch.