The Hacienda López de Haro Blanco 2016 is 100% Viura sourced from vineyards near the town of San Vincente de la Sonsierra in the Rioja Alta region (Rioja has 3 regions, this is the region with the highest altitude vineyards) in the Rioja DO of northwest Spain. The Viura grape is also known as Macabeo which is one of the 3 grapes traditionally used to produce Cava Sparkling wine. Rioja is best known for Tempranillo Red wines and Viura is the most planted White grape. Hacienda Lopez de Haro is one of Vintae’s many labels. Vintae is based in Rioja but offers modern interpretations of classic wines from the whole of Spain. This Viura is aged for 3 to 4 months in French oak barrels and the alcohol content is 12.5%.
The color is a pale straw yellow. The nose is pretty, all flowers, fruit, and citrus. This is a dry White wine with very balanced acidity. It tastes of a stew of lemon, peach, and lime, along with a dash of melon. The mid-palate shows a little vanilla, with grapefruit and dried pear. The acidity is well suited for American palates, plenty of acidity to do well as a food wine, but not enough to interfere with being a sipping wine. The finish is full and lingers for a long time.
The Hacienda López de Haro Blanco 2016 is a very solid $10 (list is $9.99) wine. It is crisp and refreshing, tasty and versatile, use as a Tuesday Patio sipper or bring to a BYOB Spanish or South American restaurant. Rioja is a premier wine region and the Hacienda López de Haro Blanco 2016 is a lot of wine for the money.
