Tasting Notes
The 2023 Obertura is a slightly wilder beast than the debut. It's 100% Verdejo off La Seca, fermented and aged 21 months in used 500 and 600L barrels with even less sulphur than before, then bottled unfined, unfiltered and a touch cloudy this year, which is just the vintage doing its thing. Expect riper, more yellow fruit with a lemony lift, a hint of reduction and, give it a minute in the glass, a savoury umami note that's honestly brilliant. - Pete L
Cantalapiedra is a family domaine based in La Seca, the historic heartland of Verdejo in Castilla y León. The family has grown grapes here for generations, but it was in 2014 that father and son Isaac and Manuel Cantalapiedra began bottling their own wines rather than selling their fruit to larger producers. Their vineyards are certified organic, dry-farmed and include some remarkable old parcels, with Verdejo very much at the centre of the project.
Manuel takes a minimal-intervention approach in the cellar, using spontaneous fermentation, very little sulphur and no unnecessary additions, while experimenting with techniques including skin contact and ageing under flor. The wines are a world away from the simple, aromatic style often associated with Rueda — textured, savoury and mineral, with a real focus on individual vineyard sites and the potential of old-vine Verdejo.
| Product Type | Wine White Other Varietals & Blends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Castilla Y Leon |
| Sub Region | Rueda |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |