Fuenteseca Organic Macabeo-Sauvignon Blanc 2021
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Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Pale yellow with bright, clean, green glints. On the nose, aromas of white flowers, tropical fruit, apricot peel, and fennel come through. Very complex and elegant. Fresh on the palate and at the same time full. Savory with excellent acidity, very balanced with a long, perfumed finish.
Blend: 80% Macabeo, 20% Sauvignon Blanc
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Fuenteseca Sauvignon Blanc is authentic with attractive rustic notes. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows aromas and flavors of tree bark, mineral notes, and tangerine. Try it with lemon-accented pasta tossed with smoked mussels. (Tasted: February 17, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
Fuenteseca is a certified organic and vegan wine sourced from vineyards grown according to organic growing criteria in a balanced, caring and sustainable way. The vineyards’ soils carry great importance, being very active with good biological conditions which favor a fast assimilation of reincorporated organic matter. This enables full terroir expression. Each variety is harvested and vinified separately. After rigorous ripeness testing, the winery’s technical crew determine the optimal alcoholic degree for picking. The harvesting is done at night to avoid any oxidation of the juices and to preserve the subtlety of the aromas. After the grapes have arrived at the cellars, the free-run juices, coming from gentle pneumatic pressing, are settled with the help of the must chiller. The resulting clear must is racked and then fermented at a controlled temperature to bring out the wine’s optimal aromatic expression. When the fermentation is finished, the wine is then racked and kept on its fine lees, thus protecting it from any oxidation and bringing extra body and smoothness. The fining, stabilization and filtering processes before bottling are carried out with the greatest care in order to preserve all of the wine’s character.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Utiel-Requena, established as a DO in 1957, borders Valencia and sits about an hour drive inland from the Mediterranean Sea on a high plateau at about 2,000 to nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. This altitude serves well to regulate the warm Mediterranean climate, resulting in lower overall temperatures and a wider diurnal range—ideal conditions for retention of grape acidity and fresh fruit flavors.
Utiel-Requena’s most popular grape is the native, thick-skinned, black variety Bobal, representing 70% of plantings. Today more than half of these Bobal vines are dry farmed and at least 40 years old. However, in the past, this grape was under-valued and used mainly for bulk wine production due to its deep color and large yields. However, since the 2000s, an increase of talent and investment have reshaped the region’s reputation. As Utiel-Requena forms its own identity, promoting high quality varietal wines from Bobal grape, the area has attracted increased investment. As varietal Bobal boasts a deep color intensity and pronounced structure, blending Bobal with softer varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha and Merlot produces an earlier drinking wine.
The area does also produce white varieties, namely Macabeo, Merseguera, Planta Nova, Parellada, Verdejo, Moscatel de grano menudo, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Rosé wines have always played a vital role within the DO, benefiting from Bobal’s ability to retain high levels of crisp acidity.