Fuentenebro Blanco 2021

Fuentenebro Blanco is a white from the D.O. Ribera del Duero, a region far better known for its Tempranillo reds, made from Albillo Mayor, the native white grape long grown alongside them. Ribera sits high on the northern Spanish plateau, where the altitude brings very cold nights and a wide diurnal range that hold acidity and aromatic freshness in a warm, dry, continental climate. Albillo is a textured, gently aromatic variety that takes well to wood, and this wine is aged for ten months in barrel. That time in oak feeds the wine a slow trickle of oxygen and gives measured vanilla and toast, while contact with the lees releases mannoproteins that broaden the palate and add a creamy, bready weight. The colour is a deeper straw. Expect white peach and pear with a waxy, honeyed note, vanilla and toast from the barrel, and an almond hint on the close. The palate is full and textured with a long, savoury finish. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees in a larger white glass. It suits richer fish, poultry and mushroom dishes.