2018 BODEGAS BENJAMIN DE ROTHSCHILD & VEGA SICILIA MACAN CLASICO, RIOJA SPAIN

The 2016 Macán Clásico is their second wine in the Bordeaux sense. In 2016, they fermented the wine in stainless steel and reduced the number of new barrels to 50%, while 5% of the barrels were produced with American oak at the Vega Sicilia cooperage. The new winery was 100% ready and now has much better facilities. The élevage lasted 12 months, and this has contained ripeness and integrated oak. The year had freshness and balance and helped to produce lighter and more expressive wines, like this one. This has to be one of the finest vintages for this cuvée. 97,654 bottles, 1,060 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in August 2018.