Les Parcelles 2018 Bodega Belondrade

Professionele reviews

Robert Parker (95)

The first new wine for years at Belondrade is the exclusive 2018 Les Parcelles, produced with grapes from two old vineyards, one on sandy soils and the other one with more clay that they bought in 2016. It fermented without malolactic, matured in second-use barrels for 18 months and was kept in bottle for three years before it was released. It's a wine that is not necessarily produced every year; they have the 2019 and 2020 in bottle, but they will decide later if they sell it or not. The idea when Didier Belondrade arrived in Spain was that he dreamt of releasing a wine when it's ready to drink, a little à la Vega Sicilia, because they are not interested in young and fruit-driven wines. In 2018, he could realize his dream with this cuvée. The wine, in fact, feels a little too young, and the oak is still perceptible; it's spicy and smoky, powerful and ripe with 13.5% alcohol on the label, which gives it volume and amplitude but with freshness, acidity and balance. This feels like a wine that can develop nicely in bottle given its harmony and balance. 1,994 bottles produced February 2020, not a coincidence, because that was the year of their first Belondrade y Lurton vintage. Somehow, it reminds me of the 1994 vintage, Verdejo from yesteryear. They are selling it without appellation of origin. The price is still an estimation. 1,994 bottles were filled in May 2020.

Peñin (97)

Colour ,bright yellow. Aroma ,dried flowers, candied fruit, fine lees, pattiserie, dry nuts, ripe fruit. Flavour ,round, spicy, long, great length.