Macán

The 2018 Macán has moderate alcohol (14%) and more freshness (pH 3.69), reflecting a cooler and rainier year that forced them to fine-tune the sorting and selection of the grapes, which fermented with selected yeasts. The élevage was in barrel (55%) and larger foudres for 16 months. 2018 was quite different from 2019, as it was cooler and rainier. The wine is serious and harmonious, which was a challenge, and winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga told me that they had to be very careful and sort and select the grapes. It's textured and elegant, a style that follows the path of the 2016; it's elegant but with depth, managing the élevage in foudre better, which was a learning process they started in 2016. 74,570 bottles, 2557 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in September 2020.

2019 was a more concentrated and powerful year that was warmer and drier; it was saved by the 80 liters of rain in the first half of September, and they tried to select the higher-altitude vineyards to have more freshness. They reduced the amount of new barrique (55%) and increased the use of foudre (45%) for the élevage of the 2019 Macán. It fermented in stainless steel with 10% of their own yeasts. It has a moderate 14% alcohol, mellow acidity and good freshness and balance. 2019 was a dry and warm year when they did a soft vinification to avoid harsh tannins. The wine is very powerful and dense, with a big structure and plenty of tannins. The oak is still noticeable in the aromatics. Give it some more time in bottle, and enjoy with powerful food. 87,377 bottles, 2,583 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in August 2021.

The 2020 Macán includes new plots and Garnacha and Graciano grapes, and they harvested a little earlier. They select their best plots in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, and the grapes were cooled down for 24 hours before fermenting in oak vats with part of autochthonous yeasts. It matured 50% in new French oak barrels and 4,000-liter oak foudres for 16 months. The bottles are kept for three years before they're released. There were 98,835 bottles, 3,557 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in August 2022.