Abel Mendoza 2021 Graciano Grano a Grano 750ml

The 2021 Graciano Grano A Grano is stunning, aromatic spicy and peppery with great freshness and contained ripeness but with very good balance. It was produced with hand-destemmed grapes from individual vines in five vineyards in the different villages where he works—San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Ábalos and Labastida. It fermented in small 1,300-liter stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter French oak barrels, where it underwent malolactic fermentation and 18 months of aging. It has a nose to die for—perfumed, floral and peppery, with abundant notes of freshly cracked peppercorns, nuanced, elegant and with an ethereal feeling to it. It is medium-bodied, with very fine tannins and vibrant freshness. The parameters show the feeling in the mouth, contained ripeness and a moderate 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.28 and 6.1 grams of acidity. Superb! This should age effortlessly in bottle. 

Score: 98 points -- Luis Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate, 2022