2006 Lopez de Heredia Vina Gravonia Blanco

It's been 15 months since I've checked in on this wine, and time in the cellar has greatly benefited it.  Last year, this was still teeth-clenchingly young. Now it is more harmonious with balanced fruit and acidity.... quite smooth yet with enough pucker power to keep things interesting. 

100% Viura from old vines grown on gravelly soils. Nutty, honeyed, slightly viscous mouthfeel.  Bright tropically-nuanced fruit with an incisive stony minerality on the finish. Easy drinking 12.5% abv.  Spicy, petrol-inflected florals on the nose.  I absolutely love the nose on this wine and how it sets up the unique palate. 

Lopez de Heredia white wines are brilliant  :) 

1996 Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Pora

This bottle was clearly stored with care.  The wine is in excellent shape, and while very enjoyable now, will easily go another 10 years in prime drinking window.   :) 

Slow-o in bottle for 4 hours and the into decanter an hour before dinner.  Served with grilled bone-in veal chops, grilled asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes.

What a delight to drink this wine. Big fruit balanced with mouth-watering acidity.  The tannins have melllowed perfectly.  AG's notes indicate that the climate of the Pora vineyard is moderated by proximity to the Tanaro River and that perhaps this contributes to the juicy character of the fruit in a classic vintage like 1996. 

This example doesn't exhibit a tremendous amount of complexity, but is very pleasing to the palate.  Delicious, if a bit straightforward, finish with tar, spice and truffle notes. Not easy to find the 1996 PdB bottlings in the market but well worth picking up a few if you see them...