The 2010 El Puntido is named after the vineyard in Laguardia (Alava) where the Tempranillo grapes are sourced – 25 hectares at 600 meters altitude with borderline climate for Tempranillo and a very high content of chalk which make for very fresh wines. The grapes ferment with their own yeast in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation is carried out in French oak barrel where the wine ages for 16 months. It has a very strong note of licorice and some smoke from the toast of the barrels with black and red fruit. It has an electric acidity with extremely fine tannins and very good balance. It feels young and undeveloped, and will benefit from some more time to get a better integration of the oak aromas into the wine, as the palate ensures there’s enough stuffing in there to age for a long time. A fresh and elegant Puntido. 48,000 bottles produced. Drink 2016-2023. Vinedos de Paganos is a small winery belonging to the Eguren family in the Alavesa part of Rioja, in the village of Paganos, Laguardia, where they had family vineyards. They built a small winery excavating new caves, some of them underneath the vineyards. They produce two single vineyard wines there, El Puntido and La Nieta, but the news is that since 2005 there are two version of El Puntido as in that vintage they started producing a Gran Reserva versions of it. Did I mention that tradition and modernity seem to be converging? Imported by Fine Estates from Spain, Dedham, MA; tel. (781) 461-5767