Wine: Paternina Blanco Seco 1942Winery: Federico Paternina (Ollauri, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 90% Viura, 10% Malvasía.
ABV: — (Not specified)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 90% Viura, 10% Malvasía.
ABV: — (Not specified)
Winemaking
Grapes sourced primarily from estate vineyards and the upper sections (cabezadas) of red grape plots from local growers. Initial fermentation in founding-era wooden vats for 12 months before racking. Aged for 30 to 36 months in seasoned American oak barrels of various capacities, mainly 225-liter Bordeaux style. Bottled directly from the cask. It rested for a minimum of two years in the historic underground cellars of Ollauri prior to its commercial release.
Grapes sourced primarily from estate vineyards and the upper sections (cabezadas) of red grape plots from local growers. Initial fermentation in founding-era wooden vats for 12 months before racking. Aged for 30 to 36 months in seasoned American oak barrels of various capacities, mainly 225-liter Bordeaux style. Bottled directly from the cask. It rested for a minimum of two years in the historic underground cellars of Ollauri prior to its commercial release.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Pale golden-yellow; remarkably clear and limpid with no signs of
sediment. Brilliant, luminous, and effulgent, showing greenish and
coppery reflections. A spectacular sense of youth; it retains a
chromatic vibrancy that defies its age, appearing 50 years younger than
expected.
Nose:
Upon opening, it explodes! The room is flooded with classic Riojan
fragrance. It evokes a sensory journey through an old apothecary and a
pastry shop: master formulas, mortar and pestle grinding seeds,
infusions, and chamomile. In the glass, it is profoundly mature and
jammy, brimming with candied fruit, dried apricots, quince paste, honey,
and creamy toasted notes (egg yolk, vanilla). These are joined by a
persistent, fine note of lemongrass and an endless array of aromatic
herbs (pennyroyal, fennel-chervil, winter savory, marjoram, sage).
Intensely pure and deep, showing no signs of wood, oxidation, or fatigue
even after hours of aeration. Liquid time in a bottle.
Palate:
Truly a "Dry White"—perhaps "Extra Dry." It is crisp and vibrant,
possessing a "criminal," improbable acidity that gives way to a syrupy
Viura texture, balancing the immense nerve. Savory and poised, it offers
herbaceous hints of fennel and ginger infusion, alongside bitter notes
of orange peel and citrus. It clings to the palate with a long,
expansive finish and a herbal retronasal character. It possesses more
registers than years and likely has more life ahead of it than any of
its tasters.
Commentary
Another masterpiece from the old Paternina school. It stands apart from the estate's Blanco Gran Reserva due to the total absence of oak interference. These were fresh, vivid wines destined to age at a different pace for decades. It is sobering to realize that such colossal, truthful wines from the post-war era have largely vanished from modern winemaking. A monumental white.
Another masterpiece from the old Paternina school. It stands apart from the estate's Blanco Gran Reserva due to the total absence of oak interference. These were fresh, vivid wines destined to age at a different pace for decades. It is sobering to realize that such colossal, truthful wines from the post-war era have largely vanished from modern winemaking. A monumental white.
Personal Score: 97
Tasting Group Average: 97
Tasting Group Average: 97
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