Alegre Valgañon - Clarito Clarete 2023 750ml

"Claríto (“the little clear one”) is a co-production between The Spanish Acquisition and our dear friends Oscar and Eva of Alegre y Valgañon, perhaps contemporary Rioja’s shiniest face. Claríto was first produced in the 2020 vintage and its initial iterations were based on a little vineyard in the Najerilla Valley, above pueblo Briones. With the new 2022 vintage, our 3rd Claríto feels like we are entering a Second Generation in terms of sourcing and handling this rapidly evolving project. 

Claríto is a tribute to the deep traditions of Rioja, updated perhaps. ‘Back in the day’ such wines were the epitome of a Village Rioja. In little towns, a small amount of Viura would trickle in, but it would take days to fill a press, so it was ‘little-by-little’ adding whatever correctly-picked fruit came in until a batch was ready, first white then later some red.

The subtle orange look of Claríto is matched on the nose with a line of tangerine skin. This fragrance plays beautifully around an air of ‘dust in a Rioja vineyard’, along with faded roses. Dried silage (including a hint of pickle) and sea shell smells tell of Viura grown in chalk. The nose is deep, bell-clear, like smelling the water in a well, many feet down, below the dust, the heat, the haze. Cool and still. The throat develops a deep compulsive tickle of desire to swallow. One is drawn in. In the mouth, there’s savoury roundness backlit citric with orange and golden persimmon, crabapples, brushed steel earthiness, faded florals. Steel magnolias and cherry skins in short. It’s edged by deep chalky minerality and run through with tangible energy … a circle with a line through it. Plenty of skinsy-tannin mouthfeel gives ungrippy grip, presence without tension."  - The Spanish Acquisition

Style / Variety: Clarete (Rose-like)
Region: Rioja, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Vol: 750ml