The Barco del Corneta winery in La Seca (Valladolid) is going through a period of change. As the team develops new labels for its Rueda wines sold outside the DO, it has also just released two fresh, direct village wines.
One is Loseco, a blend of 60% Viura and 40% Verdejo from La Seca. The other, and the one we highlight as our wine of the week, is a red from Fermoselle (Zamora) that marks a turning point in Barco del Corneta’s work in the Arribes region.
Ladura not only replaces the former Prapetisco but also represents a significant change in style. "We now harvest earlier, carry out shorter macerations, use fewer stems and avoid oak," explained Beatriz Herranz and Félix Crespo at a tasting organised by their distributor, Cuvée 3000, in Madrid this spring.
The grapes are much the same as before, sourced from two vineyards on granite soils and two small plots on slate. They are mainly with the local Juan García red variety alongside some Rufete, Bastardillo Chico and white varieties such as Malvasía and Puesta en Cruz. The vineyards sit at an average elevation of around 750 metres. The grapes are farmed organically and the wine is made at Barco del Corneta’s bodega in La Seca, which means this wine cannot be labelled as DO Arribes.
However, the style has changed considerably. Harvesting earlier to retain greater freshness and pressing the grapes before fermentation has finished have resulted in a fresher wine. Ageing in amphorae, meanwhile, gives the wine oxygen exposure and helps open it up. Wood, even when using seasoned oak, invariably brings gravitas and structure, and can sometimes introduce a touch of sweetness.
What you now find in the glass is a vin de soif with just a hint of carbonic lift. As well as being very easy to drink, it has an addictive juiciness that refreshes and soothes the palate. Despite its relatively light frame, it has the depth and length expected from the region’s remarkable old vines. Red fruit takes centre stage, backed by pleasant earthy notes and lush herbal flavours reminiscent of vermouth, adding an intriguing aromatic dimension.
Beyond the sheer pleasure of drinking it —this is a wine that will make the remaining summer heatwaves more bearable— Ladura also offers food for thought about the styles that might help win over new consumers.
12% abv.
€18
1,057 bottles
Score: 92
Author
Amaya Cervera
A wine journalist with almost 30 years' experience, she is the founder of the award-winning Spanish Wine Lover website. In 2023, she won the National Gastronomy Award for Gastronomic Communication
Previous Post
