Belondrade y Lurton 2018, Rueda. Organic

Rich and textured with harmonious, lush, creamy soft ripe stone fruits – peaches and apricots – with subtle toasted nuts and just enough acidity. Outstanding wine. 17.5/20

The 2020 vintage is available for €53 although you may still be able to find the 2018 and 2019 vintages in some shops. From Deveney’s – Dundrum; Martins; McHugh’s; Redmonds of Ranelagh; The Corkscrew, D2; Nectar Wines; Mitchell and Son; Wineonline.ie. 

I received a sample of this a few years back and wondered how it might age, so I Coravined it and tried it again recently. It is the top wine from Belondrade y Lurton, a project started by Didier Belondrade in 1994. The wines are made in a very smart minimalist winery overlooking the vines. Belondrade has 23 plots of vines, all in La Seca, one of the top wine-growing regions of Rueda. Spontaneous fermentation, fermented and aged in French oak of various age and size.