2021 was a cooler year, and the 2021 La Casilla, produced with Bobal from 40- to 60-year old vines at 800 meters in altitude, shows moderate ripeness and 13% alcohol, nice balance and a polished palate but with grip, after the wine spent some 15 months in bottle. It has an explosive nose, clean and expressive, with a somewhat Northern Rhône profile with an herbal twist, as well as depth and balance and very fine, chalky tannins. 15,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2022.
Product Description:
"Juan Antonio Ponce has started buying land to plant new vineyards in Manchuela, a total of 17 new hectares from 2022, going for higher altitudes for whites, as they are going to plant Albilla, Garnacha and Monastrell, the grapes that are scarce in Manchuela. That will take him to around 70 hectares of vines. Current production averages 200,000 bottles. I tasted the wines from 2021 and 2022. 2021 was a rainy year (with snow too) and allowed them to produce intense wines with contained alcohol.
2021 was a great vintage for whites. They believe 2022 is the best vintage for them so far, which he deems "classical" in the zone, with abundant winter and spring rains and a warm and dry summer with some rain in late September that allowed the wines to keep normal alcohol levels with finesse, elegance, balance and the Mediterranean character. In terms of wines, he is releasing a new top-of-the-range white from 2022." - Wine Advocate
