Allende Gaminde

One of two new vineyard-designated reds produced for the first time in 2015, the 2015 Gaminde was sourced from a plot planted in Briones back in 1942 at 495 meters of altitude on clay and gravel soils. The bunches were selected, then the grapes were sorted by a new optical machine and put to ferment uncrushed in a French oak vat after a cold soak. Malolactic was in barrel followed by 16 months in new French barriques. This comes from red soils with clay, soils that tend to deliver more fruit-forward wines, a little baroque, juicy and tasty. It's quite fruit-driven, with glossy tannins, balsamic with more volume. A showy, ripe, modern Rioja with some lactic hints. 9,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2017.