Izadi Larrosa Blanca 2024

Izadi is a Rioja Alavesa winery set in the triangle of Villabuena, Samaniego and Ábalos, now part of the Artevino group. Larrosa Blanca is a young white made entirely from Garnacha Blanca, drawn from three small plots planted at close to 800 metres above sea level. Altitude is the key to this wine. The high, cool sites and the wide gap between warm days and cold nights slow ripening and preserve natural acidity, which matters for Garnacha Blanca, a variety that ripens to generous texture but can lose freshness in warmer sites. The soils here are poor and well drained, limiting yields and concentrating flavour. Fermentation in a cool cellar and a short spell on the fine lees add a soft, slightly creamy weight without oak. The colour is a luminous pale yellow. The nose offers white peach, pear and apricot with a floral touch, and the palate is gentle and juicy, its stone-fruit flavour carried by fresh acidity into a clean finish. Serve chilled at 9 to 11 degrees in a white wine glass. It suits white fish, roast chicken, prawns and lighter pork dishes.