2012 Finca Sandoval Signo Bobal Manchuela

High vineyards (about 600 meters) focused on the northeast. southeast of Madrid. Lime-containing clay soil with both sand and pebble influences. Everything is aimed at achieving quality through small yields (between 19 and 29 hl / ha). The sticks were planted in 1939 !. In the glass the Bobal Signa has a black mirror (opaque) totally opaque. Solid power color.

The Bobal de Manchuela supplemented with a very modest percentage of Syrah grapes are harvested manually when the wood is optimally ripe (brown-colored stems and nuts that taste like nuts). Slightly bruised and deformed and a long, cold soak before fermentation starts, including pigeage (breaking the grape cake). During the fermentation, the wine passes into oak barrels for follow-up and apple-lactic fermentation with stirring of fine yeast traces. The vinification process takes 18 to 20 days. 1/3 new wood: Vosges and Allier and some new barrels from the French Tonnelier Demptos, but made from American oak.

In the nose we also have those fine "black" roasting tones, but rather bitter chocolate (80% cocoa), coffee beans, dried, black plums (Pruneaux d'Agen), roasted vegetables such as eggplant, but also forest mushrooms and dried meat. Fascinating original and the wood influences are completely incomparable with those easily recognizable "new oak" aromas of the most ambitious wines. After 15 to 20 minutes in the glass, there is vinosity, that is to say, when the finest fermentation and distillation aromas are released (Kirsch, Armagnac).

The Signo also appears to be "more serious" and more classic than before, but always within a profile of natural concentration, power and alcohol richness. The wine is now even more detectable, more reserved than the Salia and than the earlier volumes of Signo. This is reflected in a profile of refinement, length and reserve. The taste power remains impressively large, the opulent flesh is projected more into the future and so this Signo requires a little more patience. There is no doubt that this will be rewarded.

91/100 Parker & 92/100 Suckling