Seleccion Personal
The wine is varietal with creamy notes and a mixture of wild berries and herbs with black rather than red fruit, denoting ripeness.
It's easy to drink, the alcohol is very integrated, and the wine comes through as elegant and balanced, with great freshness. This has to be one of the finest Selección Personal bottlings to date.
The first vintage of this wine was in 1998 and it was the first time using “Abel Mendoza” as a brand on the wines. To put his own name on the bottle was considered more serious and Abel wanted the wine to be the best representation of his name as possible.
Accolades
2017
94 Points - Tim Atkin MW
93 Points - Robert Parker
2016
94 Points - Robert Parker
2015
93 Points - Robert Parker
Tasting Notes
Dark forest fruit, autumn leaves and orange peel in an admirably smooth scented wine. On the palate, ultra fine tannins and silky, dark red fruit impressions mingle with vanilla and light red berries. The mouthfeel is one of freshness and mellow structure. Beautifully balanced, the acidity produces a fresh and pleasant sensation on the finish.
Winemaking Notes
Abel and Maite have a plot of very old terraced vines next to the mountains, and the vineyard is roughly 70-ish years old. It was Abel’s selected plot in 1998, the first vintage of the wine. Nowadays, the wine is made from the best plot based on vintage variation. Usually it’s the same plot, but every now and then it varies. If the decision is to use another plot, the vineyards have to be at least 50 years old for this wine. They believe the “experience” of the vines makes for excellent quality fruit.
The fruit is sorted, destemmed (but not crushed) and fermented in stainless steel tanks. It then goes into concrete tanks for malolactic fermentation and then into 100% new French oak barrels for 12 - 13 months, depending on tasting.
Label
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DownloadTech Sheets
2018 2017Shelf Talkers
Non Vintage 2017 - 93 Points Robert Parker| Producer | Abel Mendoza |
|---|---|
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Appellation | DOCa Rioja |
| Type | Red |
| Variety | Tempranillo |
| Features | Family-owned, Sustainable |
| Closure | Cork |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Case Size | 6 Bottles |
