2018 Alonso & Pedrajo Viticultores Rioja Suañé Blanco Reserva

The 2018 Suañé Blanco Reserva has a bright golden-yellow color and a very spicy nose redolent of cloves and other spices, with aromas that I've seen in some unfortified whites from Jerez. It's pungent and finely tannic. It was produced with 80% Viura and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, but I can't detect the varieties, even the aromatic Sauvignon Blanc; the wine is more reminiscent of the process, mostly the contact with the skins for 12 days during fermentation. It matured in 228-liter barrels for 12 months and thenwas decanted to concrete egg where it was kept for seven months with the lees. It has 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.25, a medium body with some chalkiness, fine tannins and a tasty finish. It is delicious but heavily marked by the process and quite similar to the other whites. 6,508 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2020.