Predicador Blanco 2024 Contador Benjamin Romeo

Tasting Note Predicador Blanco 2024

Aromas of coconut and vanilla, derived from oak aging, envelop the white fruit notes, some medicinal nuances, and the fennel-like aroma found in some Riojan white wines. It has a strong presence on the palate; although the alcohol content is 14.35%, the acidity provides a solid structure to the wine. The oak notes remain dominant on the nose. If you let Predicador Blanco 2024 breathe in a glass for about 30 minutes, the fruit aromas come to the forefront again.

Grape Varieties

Predicador Blanco 2024 is composed of three grape varieties, The proportion of Viura is lower than in previous vintages.

• 35% Viura
• 35% Malvasía Riojana, the more aromatic of these two varieties
• 30% Garnacha Blanca, a light-skinned mutation of Garnacha that offers notes of green apple and lime zest

Cellaring Potential

The key to this wine is its acidity, not its fruitiness. It is best enjoyed by 2032. The Predicador Blanco 2024 should be served at 10-12°C; do not chill it any further. If served too cold, the oak notes turn woody and the white fruit flavors disappear. Store the bottle on its side at a temperature around 12°C.

About Contador Benjamin Romeo

Benjamin Romeo started in a cave. In 1995 he bought a centuries-old cave cut into the rock beneath San Vicente de la Sonsierra Castle in Rioja Alta, made wine there, and bought vineyards one plot at a time. A cleared-out garage at his parents' house came next, then a purpose-built winery that opened on the 2008 summer solstice, three terraced floors following the slope so fruit and wine move by gravity instead of pumps. Contador Benjamin Romeo's plots are scattered around San Vicente, each one farmed and fermented separately, yields kept very low. Aging runs 18 to 20 months in new French oak, not the American oak Rioja built its name on. Tempranillo leads, alongside Garnacha, Viura, Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca. Alcohol usually lands between 14% and 15%.

Vineyard & Terroir

The grapes used for Predicador Blanco are produced at San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida. The vineyards of Romeo are not clustered together but are scattered, with the winery situated right in the middle; each vineyard is cultivated and harvested separately. The soil consists of iron, clay, and chalk, and the Sierra de Cantabria area shields the vineyards from the strongest winds blowing in from the Atlantic. Yields are kept at a very low level.

Winemaking

Romeo ferments Predicador Blanco in French oak barrels rather than stainless steel tanks. Grapes from each vineyard are processed separately, and blending decisions are made afterward. Because he uses French oak rather than the American oak the region is known for, the spicy notes are perceived as vanilla and coconut rather than dill. Inside the three-story winery, gravity, rather than pumps, is used to move the fruit and wine to the lower levels.

Food Pairing: Predicador Blanco by Contador Benjamin Romeo

Thanks to its rich texture and firm acidity, this wine is better suited for enjoying with a meal than as an aperitif. A dish of merluza with salsa verde pairs exquisitely, as the flavors of garlic and parsley harmonize perfectly with the wine's fennel notes. It also pairs well with roast chicken with a crispy skin or grilled shrimp. When pairing with cheese, we recommend a mild, young sheep's milk cheese that isn't too salty.