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Description
If you want to understand the absolute pinnacle of what Arturo and Kike de Miguel are doing in Rioja, you look to 'La Condenada'. Along with 'El Escolladero', the brothers consider this their true "Grand Cru" - the top tier of their Burgundian-inspired classification system, and consistently one of the highest-rated wines in the region.
The name translates to "The Condemned," a reference to the fact that these 100-plus-year-old vines (planted in 1920) were totally abandoned and marked for destruction before the family stepped in to save and restore them. Sitting at 520 metres altitude on sandy soils over a sandstone subsoil, the site produces a field blend of mostly Tempranillo (around 80%), fleshed out with Graciano, Grenache Tinta, and a touch of the white grape Palomino.
The winemaking is incredibly labour-intensive. Hand-picked, destemmed, and sorted berry-by-berry, the fruit is gravity-fed into a small 2000-litre tank for fermentation with daily pigeage (punch-downs). It then matures for 14 months in 600-litre French oak foudres.
The 2023 release is a profound, seamless wine. It is tightly coiled but incredibly elegant, opening with a complex nose of blackberries, plums, delicate florals, and subtle spice. On the palate, it delivers unparalleled finesse - silky texture, super-fine tannins, and a striking, delicate minerality that drives a deeply harmonious finish. It is a wine that demands a decant and is absolutely built for the cellar; it will effortlessly evolve over the next two decades.
98 points
"Floral and mineral, showing freshly picked lavender, violets, peppercorns and blue fruit."
- Zekun Shuai (James Suckling)
97 points
"A velvety palate with very fine and elegant tannins and with a chalky finish. It should develop nicely in bottle, as it has the stuffing and balance between the components to do so."
- Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate)
97 points
"The texture is exquisite... So harmonious with all the treble and bass in the right place. Wow stuff."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)
| Price Bracket | $101 and Above |
| Type | Red |
| Body | Full Bodied |
| Variety | Tempranillo |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Feature |
High Score |
| Reviewed By |
The Wine Front The Wine Advocate James Suckling Vinous |
| Critic Score |
98 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Closure | Cork |
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