▴ Lalomba Finca Ladero 2016
The quest for cooler climates and freshness in wines is not confined to the New World. In Rioja, Ramon Bilbao have sought higher sites for Lalomba, their collection of single-vineyard wines. The Lalomba Finca Ladero 2016 is situated at 720 metres in the Yerga mountains. “It is our Mosel,” Alberto Saldón explained. The wine is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Grenache, hand-harvested in small 12kg crates and fermented and kept in concrete for 22 months before ageing 16 months in 225-litre one-use French oak barrels and new Hungarian oak barrels. The result is wine of extraordinary purity, which exudes energy and mountain vigour. The nose delivers wild flowers and cedar, the palate delicious waves of juicy complex vigorous black and red fruit, hints of leather, tannins beautifully integrated, all the power and joy held together in a velvet glove. Memorable. 14.5%
Price: £110 per bottle
UK stockist: Great Wine Co.
Review Apr 2022, SK