Vineyard and winemaking
The Viura for Las Planas 2018 comes from Real Agrado's highest vineyard, an 11-hectare site planted in 1980 on Monte Yerga. Its exposed position brings constant northerly air and cool nights, helping the fruit develop slowly while preserving the variety's fine aromatic detail.
After careful selection, the wine matured for 24 months in fine-grained French and American oak and then rested for at least 16 months in bottle. Only 2,298 bottles were produced, combining the richness of prolonged oak ageing with the freshness of this elevated site.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Lustrous straw-gold with slow, clearly defined tears.
Nose
Candied peach, fennel seed and acacia honey are framed by balsamic herbs, vanilla pod and finely polished wood.
Palate
Smooth and full through the middle, with peach compote, yellow apple and aniseed held by a fresh seam of acidity. The oak is layered and refined rather than dominant, leading to a long, gently saline finish. Serve cool and give the wine time in the glass; as it develops in bottle, some variation should be expected.
Food pairing
Pair with crab thermidor, roast guinea fowl, baked brill with brown butter, or a saffron and roasted-cauliflower risotto. Its combination of creaminess and freshness is also well suited to Baron Bigod.
Background story
Las Planas belongs to Real Agrado's limited Colección Raíces, a range devoted to wines from named estate vineyards. The exposed Monte Yerga site gives Viura the acidity and concentration required for an unusually long, ambitious élevage.
The 2018 followed the internationally acclaimed 2016 release and was made in just 2,298 bottles. Rather than imitate a young, fruit-led white, it continues the estate's distinctive argument for Viura as a serious, age-worthy Rioja variety.
