93+ Luis Gutierrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2021 7 Fuentes was quite similar to the 2020 that I tasted next to it, but this year they merged the 7 Fuentes and 7 Fuentes El Lance into a single cuvée of Listán Negro and 5% Castellana Negra, so it has grapes from more vineyards, 30 different ones. It fermented with 20% full clusters in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 months, 50% in concrete and 50% in used 500-liter oak barrels; then it was blended and kept in stainless steel for a further eight months. It has 12.63% alcohol and good acidity and freshness. This is quite approachable and less reductive and at the same time fresher. They have been working to increase the pH of the soil to get less reduction in the wines; each year as the soils are healthier, there is less reduction in the wines. 50,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.