Macan

Macán is the result of a unique partnership between Vega Sicilia and Benjamin de Rothschild born out of a meeting between Pablo Álvarez and Benjamin de Rothschild in 2003. At that time Benjamin was looking for help to invest and produce wine in Spain and Pablo agreed, not to help, but to become a joint partner in a brand new venture. 

Macán is not traditional Rioja wine. The aim is to express one particular rather than blends of various terroirs – which is San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja Alta. Pablo Álvarez and Benjamin de Rothschild wanted the freedom to do what they feel is best for their wines; for instance, they have decided to age the wines in more elegant Burgundian oak rather than American oak.

The 2013 Macán is ripe and excellent in quality. The still quite youthful nose wafts from the glass in a blend of black cherries, cassis, cigar wrapper, a fine base of soil and a suave veneer of nutty new French oak. On the palate the wine is pure, sophisticated in structure and full-bodied, with a fine core, excellent focus and balance, ripe, seamless tannins and excellent length and grip on the focused and still youthful finish. Texturally, this wine is so beautifully balanced that there is no problem drinking it today, but it is still a very young wine and has just begun its journey and should be left alone in a cool corner of the cellar for another five to ten years to allow more complexity to emerge.