2023 Artadi Valdegines Alava, Spain Château Meyney Theres tons of varietal character

Theres tons of varietal character

expressive and precise with a delicate mousse

to deliver a stunning Malbec that goes well beyond the variety

Shows velvety and textured tannins with a hint of stem

dark chocolate and currant leaves

2023 Artadi Valdegines Alava, Spain Château Meyney Theres tons of varietal characterI tasted an unbottled sample of the 2023 Valdegins from vines planted between 1982 and 1989, part on a slope on soft sandstone and part in a terrace with deeper and cooler soils. Malolactic and aging were in 600 liter barrels, and the wine spent the second winter in oak foudres. This is a textbook example of the 2023s here, with a riper nose but a finer boned palate and lower alcohol than in 2022 and with the elegance and minerality of Laguardia. 97