’La Nava’ - Albillo Mayor, Castellana, Pirulés & co (22)

Albillo Mayor & Blancas Ancestrales | uit de 'La Nava' wijngaard met een paar stokken Castellana Blanca, Pirulés, Moscatel, Valenciana Blanco en Palomino | 0,36 ha. | aangeplant in 1940 door hun overgrootvader | gelegen in La Nava | kleine helling op het oosten | terroir van zand, gravel en keien | 2-3 dagen schilcontact | handmatig geperst in stalen 'basketpress' | vergisting op beton | rijping voor 12 maanden in 500-liter eikenhouten vaten | subtiel floraal | wat anijs | noten | wat rook | rijpe appel | zacht wit fruit | rijp | serieus | mooi gewicht | diepgang | breed | beetje wollig | goede lengte 

Casa Lebai

Het persoonlijke project van de broers Rodrigo en Asier Calvo. Nadat ze zich verdiepen in de generaties lange historie van het familiedomein en de wijngaarden, classificeren ze de wijngaarden op basis van klonen, zones, bodemtype en ligging. Van de 32 wijngaarden, verspreid over 50 hectare in totaal, worden er drie specifiek gekozen vanwege hun leeftijd, bodemstructuur en typiciteit, karakter en persoonlijkheid. Zo uniek dat de broers in 2019 Casa Lebai starten, met deze drie wijngaarden, als individueel project naast het familie-wijngoed. 

Review

The white 2020 La Nava is pure Albillo Mayor from a 0.36-hectare plot planted by their great-grandfather in 1935 on a slope with sandy soils—it's pretty apt for the variety and considered one of the best places for old vines in the village. It's an ambitious and Burgundian white that fermented and matured in 500-liter oak barrels in search of aging potential but keeping the finesse and agility and reflecting the soils. It has a spicy, toasty and smoky nose with contained ripeness and 13% alcohol and hints of white flowers and fruit. The palate is vibrant and fresh, with a pH of 3.28 and 6.15 grams of acidity. Unfortunately, there are only 650 bottles. It was bottled in September 2021. 95/100 Luis Gutiérrez

Casa Lebai is one of the most exciting new names in Ribera del Duero in the last few years. It's the personal project from brothers Rodrigo and Asier Calvo, from a grape-growing and wine-producing family that started their own adventure in 2019. They have three small vineyards that they vinify separately, all from their village of Gumiel del Mercado in the province of Burgos, no more than 4.5 hectares that allow them to produce 13,000 bottles. The white, which I found exceptional in previous vintages, was not ready, so I didn't taste it this time. A name to watch.