Oscar Tobía Blanco Reserva 2018

Oscar Tobía Blanco Reserva is a barrel-aged white from Bodegas Tobía in D.O.Ca. Rioja, a region with a long tradition of ageworthy white wines alongside its reds. The blend brings together Tempranillo Blanco, Viura, Maturana Blanca and Malvasía, giving fruit, acidity, structure and aromatic lift. Rioja's white varieties respond well to extended barrel ageing, and this Reserva spends twenty months in oak. That long time in wood, with the wine resting on its lees, drives the style: slow oxygen exchange through the barrel deepens colour and adds oak spice, while malolactic softening and lees contact build a broad, creamy, savoury texture. The result is a complex white made for the table and the cellar rather than early drinking. The colour is a pale golden yellow with green reflections. The nose is developed, with citrus and honey over vanilla, toasted bread and hazelnut. The palate is full and rounded, the oak and lees weight balanced by Rioja's firm acidity, with beeswax and almond through a long, savoury finish. Serve at 11 to 13 degrees, and give younger bottles a short time in the glass. It suits richer fish, poultry and hard cheese.