Exopto Vino Blanco Field Blend

The wine formerly known as Horizonte de Exopto Blanco is now the 2023 Vino Blanco – Field Blend. It was produced with the white grapes from the old vineyards, planted in the poorer soils to compensate yields. The base is Viura, around 85%, with some 10% Garnacha and 5% Malvasía Riojana, but there are always traces of Calagraño, Moscatel and Torrontés, etc. It was produced in a slightly oxidative way, which he thinks suits Viura nicely, as it gains in texture and aging potential. As it's a small volume, and all the varieties fermented together, in stainless steel in the beginning and later in used 225-liter barrels and concrete eggs in similar proportions and 60% in a 4,000-liter French oak foudre. It has 13% alcohol, a low pH of 3.27 and notable acidity, 6.2 grams of it. It's floral, spicy, balsamic and perfumed, very clean and precise, focused and balanced, with clout, elegance, freshness and balance. It's approachable now and should also age nicely in bottle. 7,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2024.

The white 2022 Horizonte de Exopto Blanco was produced with the grapes from the white varieties that are planted scattered among the reds in the old vineyards on the poorer soils, mostly Viura with some 10% Garnacha Blanca and 5% Malvasía Riojana. It has 13% alcohol and very good freshness and acidity for such a warm year. It matured in a combination of 4,000-liter oak foudre (60%), concrete egg (20%) and used 225-liter barriques (20%), but the oak is very integrated. The wine is expressive, harmonious, clean and quite fruit-driven and refreshing. It's balanced and super tasty, finishing with a salty twist. It's approachable but should last in bottle. 7,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.

The 2020 Horizonte de Exopto Blanco is mostly from Ábalos but now also has the grapes from new plots he purchased in Baños de Ebro, 75-year-old Viura, so the volume grew to 7,000 bottles. He went for a more oxidative vinification, trying to gain in texture, and the final blend of 80% Viura and 10% each Malvasía Riojana and Garnacha Blanca only reached 13% alcohol in this "tropical" vintage of heat and rain. It has a clean nose of white fruit and flowers and a touch of pollen and dried flowers, chamomile and verbena. It's serious and dry, with some austerity in the palate. All of the grapes fermented together with indigenous yeasts, starting in stainless steel and finishing in French barriques (20%), concrete eggs (20%) and oak foudre (40%), the novelty since the previous year, the use of a 4,000-liter oak foudre that delivered moderate oxidation. It was bottled in September 2021.