2014 Bodegas Puelles Blanco Rioja

Jesús Puelles is one of the most talented vignerons in Rioja. Hailing from a long line of vineyard worker/owners, Puelles knows the terruño in his little slice of land in the Rioja Alta town of Abalos. Most of the grapes for his red wines come from his own 20 hectares, which are north-facing and located at 600 meters in altitude, affording the visitor with one of the most dramatically beautiful views of Rioja's main mountain ranges: the Sierra Cantabria mountains immediately to the north and the Sierra de la Demanda mountains to the south. This white wine consists primarily of Viura, but also has some Garnacha Blanca, Malvasia and Chenin Blanc in the blend. Bright, clean apple and citrus flavors combine with terrific minerality to make this perhaps one of the best young white Riojas I tasted this year-to-date. (Joe Manekin, K&L Spanish Wine Buyer)