Vina Olabarri Viura Rioja Blanco 2023

Historically, Rioja Blancos made from Viura have had to be heavily and oxidatively worked-and-wooded to get positive flavour from this relatively neutral variety. Olabarri’s wine has a pleasing natural depth without obvious winemaking to force style and flavour from bland grapes. It results from a cool stainless steel fermentation at 14 degrees over 25 days, wild yeast, free run juice with minimal lees/skin contact.

A nose of jackfruit flesh, curry leaf, a bit spicy and lemon fresh. The palate is nicely phenolic, without excess, only taking up half the room in one’s mouth. Gently, nuttily rich and perfectly savoury, it’s filled out with spiced fruit acid and feel of the chalky limestone in which it’s grown. Perfectly mid-weight, nicely rounded, it sits gently with presence, freshness edging and shaping.