"Bright straw-gold. Dried lemon zest, pear skin, jasmine and hints of chamomile and toasted nuts on the saline-inflected nose. Tight, chewy and dry on the palate, offering pear nectar, lemon curd and sweet butter flavors that show an intriguing oxidative quality. Finishes very long and spicy, with repeating pear and floral notes and a smoky nuance making a late appearance." -Josh Raynolds
Robert Parker
RP92
"The fourth release of the white that follows the classical recipe is the 2017 Monopole Clásico, a white Rioja with a Jerez spirit, produced with early-picked grapes in the warmer 2017 to preserve aromas and freshness. It fermented in stainless steel and was transferred to used barriques and sherry casks with lees for its élevage for eight months. The unusual thing about this wine is that they added a small portion of Manzanilla, a biologically aged Palomino from Sanlúcar de Barrameda. So, the nose has an unmistakably sherry twist, with a touch of curry and esparto grass, a tendency that, in the unusual 2017, makes the wine a little riper than it was in 2016. It is clearly marked by the process, where the challenge is that the sherry character doesn't mask the Rioja origin or the style of the year. It needs to have acidity, so they picked earlier to avoid the danger of over-ripeness. The palate is tasty, with a very pleasant bitter twist in the finish and the textbook salinity and the chalkiness from both places. Fresh for the vintage. 25,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2019."
Wine Spectator
WS90
"Sleek and polished, this white delivers bright flavors of pear, green apple and coconut, with spice and vanilla notes. Juicy and fresh, with depth and balance. Drink now through 2023."
Wine Enthusiast
WE92
"Aromas of lightly oxidized and stalky white fruits open this white Rioja. A full and complex palate is supported by core acidity, while this Viura based classic tastes salty and woody, with apple, leesy yeast and dry oak notes driving a smooth finish. This contains some Manzanilla Sherry in an ode to how the wine was made 75 years ago. Drink through 2024."
