Ponce Blanco 2025

Ponce Blanco is made by Bodegas y Vinedos Ponce in D.O. Manchuela, based at Iniesta in the east of Castilla La Mancha. The estate is a family project founded by Juan Antonio Ponce with the aim of showing what the region's native grapes can do, and this white is built on Albillo, a fresh, textured local variety. Manchuela lies at altitude in a continental climate, where hot days and cold nights hold acidity in the grapes and the region is farmed here with respect for the land. The wine spends eight months in used French oak barrels, a choice that softens the wine and adds a light frame of texture rather than strong wood flavour, since older barrels give oxygen exchange without fresh oak spice. The colour is a pale yellow with bright highlights. The nose shows green apple, white peach and white flowers with a faint herbal thyme edge. The palate is fresh and lively, with citrus peel and pear over a gently textured, dry finish carried by the older oak. This is a wine to drink young. Serve at 10 to 12C. It suits white fish, roast chicken and shellfish.