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Notes from the Winemaker:

The 2008 Finca Allende Rioja Blanco has an attractive tropical fruit nose, exuding hints of fennel, anis and far Eastern spice. The palate is full and generously textured with sublte but well structured oak and the wine has a creamy and rather rich and full finish.

Styles range widely on white Rioja wines, from bright and citrusy whites to richer, nuttier styles showing the influence of oak. Finca Allende’s Rioja Blanco is seriously deep and layered showing honey, almond blossom, and lanolin on the nose complimenting a core of ripe apricot and Bosc Pear. All of the fruit for this wine comes blocks of old vine Viura and Malvasia planted more than 50 years ago on the De Gregorio family estate in town of Briones in the Rioja Alta district. The first whiff might suggest this wine is mature, but the combination of bold minerals and lemony acidity on the mid-palate and finish suggest this wine still has a long life ahead.

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90 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"Finca Allende’s 2008 Blanco is a blend of 70% Viura and 30% Malvasia sourced from vineyards planted between 1955 and 1960. It was barrel-fermented and aged for 14 months in new French oak. Buttered popcorn, melon, citrus, and baking spices inform the nose of this savory, smooth-textured, well-balanced white. It has the acid structure and fruit to evolve for 1-2 years and is likely to deliver enjoyment through 2018." - Jay Miller (June 2011)

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