When done right, White Rioja can easily hold its own among the titans of white wine. I'm talking White Burgundy, Sancerre, Gruner Veltliner, and a host of others.
The 2017 Marques de Tomares Rioja Blanco is done right and then some! This blend of super old vine Viura and Garnacha Blanca is one of my newest and most exciting white wine finds of 2021, and I can't wait for you all to try it. Supply is limited to just 84 bottles, and it is first come, first served.
2017 Marques de Tomares Rioja Blanco
"Voluptuous and complex, this exotic and ethereal white is fantastic!" - Josh Spurling - 95 points
ORDER NOW in our online store. We will apply deal pricing once we receive your order.
What an incredible find in traditional White Rioja. As I said in the introduction, great White Rioja is a thing of beauty, and this wine is absolutely phenomenal. Tasting like a hypothetical White Graves meets Dry Vouvray meets White Burgundy, it's hard to put into words how good this is.
The wines of Marques de Tomares are perfect expressions of traditional Rioja that is still fresh, fruit forward, and beautifully balanced. Marques de Tomares was founded by Don Roman Montana in 1910, and today, it is run by his grandchildren. The family farms their 100+ acres in an organic fashion (non-certified), and all of their vineyards are located in the prized Rioja Alta zone.
The 2017 Marques de Tomares Rioja Blanco is a blend of 70% Viura, the traditional white grape of Rioja, with 30% Garnacha Blanca. From 60 to 80 year old vines farmed in the elevated Rioja Alta zone, grapes are hand harvested in small lots and the fermentation occurs with ambient yeasts in stainless steel. After fermentation, the wine is left to rest on fits fine lees for 6 months and then is moved into oak barrels for an additional 6 months of maturation.
These old vines yield intense and concentrated grapes that benefit from oak aging. Don't worry though, it's only 15% new oak here. The rest of the barrels are old and do not impart any wood flavors. The finished wine is stunning. Relatively full bodied yet incredibly fresh, this one flirts with flamboyance, offering up soaring notes of white flowers, white peach, savory orchard fruits, lemon curd, and flinty minerality.
This one will appeal to lovers of fuller and more exotic white wines. I guarantee it! It would also be awesome paired with richer seafood dishes like crab cakes, lobster, or scallops in a simple butter and white wine sauce. I'm getting hungry and thirsty just thinking about it.
ORDER NOW in our online store. We will apply deal pricing once we receive your order.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville