The bottled 2022 La faraona, from the 0.5 hectares of 82-year-old vines at 800 to 860 meters above sea level they own in the ‘paraje’ of El Ferro in Corullón, is a lot less explosive and showy than the barrel sample I tasted almost 12 months ago. In fact, the wine feels more backward, closed and austere than any of the 2022s. It has more of everything; it’s very spicy and peppery, with plenty of tannins and grip. This is going to require more time in bottle. It shows some notes of sweet spices that should integrate with a little more time. Patience… It matured in foudre for eight months. 2,050 bottles, 82 magnums, 16 double-magnums and seven jeroboams produced. It was bottled in November 2023.

It’s not often that I would call a geographical fault ‘marvellous’, but the fault that created the exceptional vineyard of La Faraona is just that. At 0.55ha it will always be limited in production, meaning that lovers of this wine will be at the mercy of the weather (and the price). On the nose, it was a little reduced at the tasting. It’s fairly pale in colour, but don’t be deceived; the palate is alight with dense cherry fruit and notes of cranberry and fennel. The finish is fresh, with definite mineral undertones. Profound. I’d like to come back to this when it has had more time in bottle. Gran Viña Classificada. 2,065 bottles produced.