Bodegas Exopto was founded in 2003 by Bordeaux expat Tom Puyaubert, who had originally moved to Spain working in sales for famous French cooperage, Saury. He still continues to work selling oak barrels in conjunction with this ambitious project of producing high-end wines from Rioja. Today his estate comprises 10 ha's of vines, subdivided into 15 micro parcels and depending on the plot, the vines are usually bush trained and cultivated on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria at over 500 metres altitude, and may range anywhere from 30 to 100 years old.

This exceptional Rioja blanco is drawn from two plots of old vines in the Periquita and San Cristobel vineyards of Ábalos, Rioja Alta. A blend of 85% Viura with some 10% Garnacha Blanca and the remaining 5% split between Malvasía Riojana, Jaén Blanca and Torrontés, the grapes were hand harvested and fermented with wild yeast in concrete eggs, then raised in a mixture of eggs, old barrels and large foudres as Tom seeks to capture the mineral salinity and tension of the rocky limestone soils and old vines.

Tasting Note:
This a wonderful rarity! A minerally Rioja blanco that is nuanced, textured and aromatically complex, with mouth-watering notes of peaches, pears, apricots, and spices of cardamom, anise and a hints of rosemary to finish it off. A clean and precise wine with excellent balance and a lovely and dry salty finish.