Barrialto - Aranza Palomino Vino de Pasto 2022

‘Aranzá’ is Rafa’s sub-vineyard name for a small portion he selects from Viña La Palma. La Palma itself is a small vineyard, 3 hectares of 60 year-old Palomino growing in Albariza tosca cerrada. The term ‘Aranzá’ is a short-hand for the local measure of land area, an Aranzáda – depending upon the colloquy involved (the measure is different in each town and possibly grower-to-grower!), it’s roughly a half hectare.

Pickled hay, buttery chalk and the cold steel smell of yesterday’s Tea Billy. Savoury, earthen, edged and filled with pickles and spice. Dandelion, a nice rim of diatom (blue oceanic fossil minerality), pickled cucumber, a sapid buzz in the cheeks and corners of the tongue. A round and savoury style, the cereal-inflected Palomino is mid-weight with an understated, lovely finish of bitters on the point of the tongue. Incredible volume and textural satisfaction at such low ABV. - Watt Scosley