Tentenublo Blanco 2025

Tentenublo Blanco is a white Rioja produced by Tentenublo Wines in Vinaspre, in the village of Lanciego in Rioja Alavesa. It is the project of Roberto Olivan, a young Alava winemaker who took over his mother's old winery in 2011 and works in a modern register, seeking freshness and keeping wood in a supporting role. The blend of Malvasia and Viura grows on the limestone-rich soils of Rioja Alavesa, where poor, chalky ground drains freely and the cooler Atlantic-influenced sites hold acidity in the fruit. The wine is barrel fermented and spends five months in Hungarian oak barrels, which impart a tighter, more subtle grain than French or American oak and add texture rather than obvious wood flavour. Time on the fermentation lees rounds the mid-palate and reinforces the wine's savoury depth. The colour is pale straw. The nose shows green apple, lemon and white peach lifted by white flowers and a hint of fresh dough. The palate is crisp and saline, with citrus fruit, a waxy Viura texture and a clean mineral finish. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees. It suits white fish, shellfish and fresh green salads.