B-21 Top Recommendation
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While some Spanish wines have a reputation for over delivering, this beautifully crafted 94 pt. 2016 Pujanza Finca Valdepoleo Rioja tops the chart, a stunning, single vineyard Rioja crafted from 100% old vine Tempranillo. From "one of the leading names in modern Rioja" according to the Wine Advocate's Luis Gutierrez and a "First Growth" of Rioja by critic Tim Atkin , the powerful 94 pt. 2016 Pujanza Valdepoleo layers fresh exuberant fruit hinting of earthy spice with brilliant, lively acidity, delivering noteworthy depth and unbeatable value.
Founded in Rioja Alavesa in 1998 by winemaker Carlos San Pedro at the age of 25, Bodegas Pujanza produces estate-grown single-vineyard, high-altitude wines crafted by Carlos to reflect each parcel's unique soil and characteristics. Located at elevations averaging 630 meters in the foothills of the breathtaking Sierra de Cantabria Mountains, the 17.5 hectare Valdepoleo vineyard surrounds the winery near the walled medieval village of Laguardia, where Carlos' family has been growing grapes for five generations. Planted nearly 50 years ago in a mix of clay and limestone soils that naturally limit yields, Carlos has divided the high altitude Valdepoleo vineyard into seven unique parcels according to soil type, working each plot separately from harvest to cask aging and vinifying each parcel separately in stainless steel. Blending the parcels through blind tasting to craft his unique expression of the Valdepoleo vineyard, Carlos aged the 2016 Pujanza Valdepoleo for 14 months in new and used French oak, yielding fresh, juicy fruit of precision and purity over a framework of focused, integrated tannins and a polished, smooth finish, described as "a great Valdepoleo" by the Wine Advocate's Gutierrez.
Sourced from "a Spanish vintage for the ages" according to the Wine Enthusiast, the muscular and opulent 2016 Pujanza Valdepoleo deftly balances power and elegance to uniquely reflect its single vineyard terroir, an immensely enjoyably Rioja bargain priced for Spanish wine lovers and collectors to enjoy often over the next few years. | 
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