The 2013 Aalto is a lighter wine, with less color, more freshness as it should be in a cooler vintage. It has a bright color which also denotes high acidity. The year was not easy and they had to work more on the origin of grapes: it has less from La Horra and more from La Aguilera, a cooler village, both in the province of Burgos, because in La Horra they had more frost problems. It's aged in less than 30% new barrels and the oak feels better integrated, definitively less oaky than other vintages. The nose has a combination of red and black fruit, spicy aromas and a sense of freshness, with even some violets. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with very fine tannins, abundant but well padded by juicy fruit, good acidity and freshness. This is a lot more fluid and balanced, with better-integrated oak than in the past. This is a fresher Aalto that should age nicely in bottle. 175,000 bottles were filled in July 2015 after 18 months in barrel. - Luis Gutierrez