Pago de Otazu Chardonnay con Crianza 2024

Otazu farms this Chardonnay in Navarra, in northern Spain, under the Vinos de Pago classification, a single estate denomination held by only a small number of Spanish wineries. The estate lies at the foot of the Sierra del Perdón, one of the more northerly and cooler zones for Spanish Chardonnay, which lengthens the ripening period and preserves acidity in the fruit. The wine is fermented and then aged for six months on its lees in barrel before a further eighteen months in bottle. Lees ageing and regular stirring release mannoproteins that build a rounder, creamier texture, while the oak contributes vanilla, spice and a slow, measured exchange of oxygen that adds complexity without stripping the fruit. The result is a fuller bodied white that keeps a clear citrus backbone. It shows a bright gold colour. The nose leads with pear and lemon over toasted bread, hazelnut and beeswax. The palate is broad and creamy, with ripe orchard fruit, a vanilla and nutty oak frame and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 11 to 13 degrees in a large white glass.