The 2022 Bodegas Vinedos Ponce Selección Albilla Blanco is a white wine from Manchuela, Spain, produced by Bodegas Ponce. This wine is made from the Albilla varietal and is sealed with a cork closure.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate reviewed this wine on January 18, 2024, awarding it an impressive score of 95 points. This high rating highlights the wine's exceptional quality and potential.
The 2022 Selección Albilla is noted for being a new top-tier white from the producer. The grapes for this wine are sourced from two distinct plots: one with 70% granite soil and the other with 30% limestone and gravel. These vineyards are located in Villamalea and another higher-altitude site near the winery. This diverse terroir contributes to the wine's added seriousness and complexity.
The wine is described as "mineral and salty, age-worthy and precise with some creamy oak," according to the Wine Advocate. The fermentation process involves 600-liter barrels and larger 750- and 1,000-liter foudres, with about 70% new oak. The wine matures sur lies for 11 months, resulting in a fresh and balanced palate with noticeable austerity. Despite its 13% alcohol content, the wine maintains impressive freshness and acidity.
In terms of aromatics, the nose reveals abundant smoky and toasty notes, attributed to the oak and the lees. The producer aims for a perceptible but not overwhelming oak presence, drawing inspiration from some of his favorite whites from Burgundy. This approach is intended to create a wine with aging potential. The initial vintage may show some struck-match notes from the new wood, but this is expected to integrate better with more time in the bottle.
Overall, the 2022 Bodegas Vinedos Ponce Selección Albilla Blanco is a promising, age-worthy white wine that combines minerality, freshness, and a balanced use of oak to create a complex and precise profile.