2 fl. Baron de Ley "Maturana", Rioja, 95p + Gold Trophy 2016

(prs for 2 fl), 95p + Gold Trophy / IWC, 92p / Guía Peñin, 92p / Tim Atkin. An extremely rare wine on Rioja's most rare and very own grape that is not seen in any other country in the whole World. The maturana grape died largely during the Phylloxera!
"Very deep color, intense, sumptuous aroma with wild berries, sweet tones, balsamic and deep, the taste is rounded, strong, with silky tannins, very long with good acids that ensure freshness".
Maturana "is Rioja's soul," says Gonzalo, a winemaker at Ley. Maturana ripens late (matura), while tempranillo (temprano-early) ripens early. Maturana enjoyed great reputation. But was hard to grow and totally disappeared when the phylloxera hit Rioja in the 1890s. It is not listed in the books and is not on the list of allowed grapes - until 30 years ago a couple of surviving maturana vines were found in the remote region of Rioja. Today, 100+ hectares of Rioja's very own grape have been planted, which is not seen in any other area or country in the world! Baron de Ley owns the largest (and oldest) vineyard on the Finca Alegría (20 hectares) -and this wine is p.t. the only 100% maturana wine. Ley uses most of the wine for reservas, but also makes approx. 24,000 bottles of the pure maturana.
New vintages are terrific after 4-5 years, but the wine can probably be stored for up to 10 years (but no one knows for sure yet!). The wine ferments in open oak and closed steel tanks and stores for 12 months in small barrels of 100% French oak. before bottling with only one light filtration.
Baron de Ley is housed in the 500-year-old Benedictine monastery, which has been restored to its former glory since 1995-96. The company is privately owned and delivers modern, elegant Rioja of high quality. At the same time, the house has helped to revive rare grapes such as white tempranillo, graciano and not least maturana.
Photo: Ley is located in Alavesa, perhaps the best area in Rioja. The house has a very large domain spread over 4 properties and, unlike most, does not have to buy grapes from outside. Price for 2 fl. The bottles are the number. Also 92p / Inaternational Wine London.
Ratings and info: https://www.barondeley.com/producto/varietales-maturana/
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/baron+de+ley+varietales+maturana+doca+rioja+spain/1/denmark#t3
About grapes: https://www.riojawine.com/en/rioja/grape-varieties/maturana-red/
Other: The owners behind Baron de Ley also own el Coto (also Rioja) and the Finca Museum in Cigales.