Barco del Corneta 2024 White

Barco del Corneta takes its name from the pine forest that borders the 5.5-hectare vineyard planted in 2008 by winemaker Beatriz Herranz and her mother, María Antonia Sanz, in Cantarranas, a lieu-dit in the village of La Seca. They used Verdejo cuttings from an old local plot. 

Over the years, the wine from this vineyard has become something of a benchmark for lovers of Rueda whites, despite never having been part of the DO. Instead, the winery has always operated under the broader VT Castilla y León designation. Initially, this was simply because production volumes fell short of  the minimum required by the appellation. Later, however, Beatriz and her partner Félix Crespo, who joined the project in 2016, chose to remain outside the DO, preferring the freedom to pursue their own path and distance themselves from the highly technical winemaking model that had come to dominate the region.

Barco del Corneta proved that high-quality Verdejo could be made from young vines, provided the site was right and the viticulture meticulous. Here, the vines grow on sandy, silica-rich soils strewn with stony soils, are dry-farmed and grown organically. Yields have never exceeded 7,000 kilos per hectare, averaging around 5,000 kilos.

We attended the first vertical tasting of the wine in 2022. While the 2013 vintage seemed past its peak, 2014 was excellent, retaining many of the hallmarks that define Barco del Corneta, such as the saline finish and mineral notes, ranging from chalky to dry stone nuances. The wine has always benefitted from a couple of years in bottle, but the vertical tasting revealed potential for further development. Beatriz’s and Félix's approach has always been to produce wines that can age.

Today, with a well-established vineyard approaching 20 years of age, and a dedicated winery in place since 2019, Barco del Corneta boasts a very solid track record. The focus remains unchanged: producing a high-quality Verdejo with barrel ageing. The wine is fermented and aged for nine months in 500- and 600-litre barrels.

The 2024 growing season was very hot, but it also saw plenty of rain, particularly in spring. Following a very dry summer, further rain arrived in a handful of episodes before and after the harvest. Félix Crespo told us about a significant change this year:  they did not add sulphites when the grapes arrived at the winery.

The wine follows the style that has become synonymous with Barco del Corneta, yet at this early stage it already feels well defined. The palate is juicy and mouth-watering and combines excellent acidity with the fruit's natural sweetness. Subtle notes of dry stones on the finish add an extra layer of seriousness. This highly appealing white wine continues to offer excellent value for money.

13.5% abv.
13,200 bottles 
€23 
Score: 93