LUIS PEREZ La Escribana
Al Drinkle on the 2022 La Escribana
"From the legendary Macharnudo Bajo vineyard, this is fermented in stainless steel before spending a year on lees in sherry casks with flor. The aromatics are an expansive horizon of fresh cream, chestnuts, the perfect tortilla chip and boundless maritime salinity — and the palate takes these beguiling qualities even further. I noted a pleasant “oakiness” at first, and asked Willy if there were a couple of new barrels in the mix. He smiled and responded that the barrels were all about 80-years-old! So whatever I’m smelling is from the spellbinding influence of natural factors. It’s an intense experience, both viscerally and intellectually, and it’s no exaggeration that several times since tasting this in February, it’s been my first thought upon awakening in the morning. Lovers of white Hermitage or Burgundy — especially those who romanticise about the rarely-achieved zenith of Grand Cru Chablis — should be very interested."