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Benjamin Rothschild & Vega Sicilia Macan Clasico 2020

Benjamin Rothschild & Vega Sicilia Macan Clasico 2020

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Bordeaux Nobility Meets Legendary Rioja Terroir

Born from a historic joint venture between two of the most aristocratic dynasties in wine—Baron Edmond de Rothschild (Château Clarke) and Vega Sicilia—Macán Clásico is a masterclass in modern Rioja Alta sophistication. Moving away from the heavily oxidized, dill-and-vanilla oak templates of old-school Riojas, the spectacular 2020 vintage frames the intense soul of old-vine Tempranillo inside a highly tailored, sleek French lens. It enters the glass with a deep, perfumed bouquet of wild blackberries, fresh black cherries, crushed limestone, and fine cedar, wrapping a medium-to-full-bodied palate in remarkably supple, fine-grained tannins and a mineral-driven, elegant finish.
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Style Profile at a Glance

Attribute Profile Scale
Body Medium to Full-Bodied, Sleek & Tailored ●●●●●
Tannins Supple, Velvety & Extremely Fine-Grained ●●●●●
Sweetness Bone Dry ●●●●●
Acidity Fresh, Balanced & Seamlessly Integrated ●●●●●
Fruit Wild Blackberry, Fresh Black Cherry & Red Currant ●●●●●
Oak Highly Sophisticated (12 Months in Choice French Oak, ~50% New) ●●●●●●

Expert Tasting Notes & Estate Reputation

  • 94 Points – Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Luis Gutiérrez): "The 2020 Macán Clásico was cropped from a more generous crop. The grapes were put in a cold chamber for one night and then underwent a cold soak of three to four days, after which they inoculated the yeasts—in 2020, 25% of it was their native yeast. It fermented in stainless steel, and the élevage was 45% in new French and 5% new American oak barrels, 28% in second use barrel and 22% in stainless steel for one year. The bottled wine has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.78 and 4.5 grams of acidity (tartaric). This is one of the most elegant vintages of this bottling so far. It has showy aromatics with notes of smoky bacon, a bit meaty, and the thing that surprised me the most was the velvety texture. 202,697 bottles, 1,998 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in August 2022."
  • The Clash of Titans in Samaniego: Formed in 2004 as a vision of total excellence between Baroness Ariane de Rothschild and Pablo Álvarez of Vega Sicilia, Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia represents the absolute peak of modern Rioja. Based in a striking, state-of-the-art facility at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria in Samaniego, the estate operates entirely with old, low-yielding Tempranillo vines rooted in calcareous-clay terraces. *Macán Clásico* is their focused single-variety expression designed to celebrate the purity, precision, and unvarnished terroir clarity of Rioja Alta, resulting in a svelte masterpiece that drinks with Bordeaux-like tailoring and legendary Spanish depth.

Highlights

  • 100% Tempranillo selected entirely from select old-vine parcels averaging over 30 years of age across San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida.
  • Grown on high-altitude terraces composed of ancient, mineral-dense calcareous clay and limestone matrices that impart a striking structural tension.
  • Matured beautifully for 12 months in fine-grain French oak barrels (45-50% brand-new wood), followed by an additional 18 months of bottle resting to ensure complete structural integration.

Tasting Notes

  • Appearance: Intense, deep ruby-red with brilliant violet-magenta halos.
  • Nose: Aristocratic, layered, and pure, unfurling with concentrated aromas of wild blackberry, fresh black cherry, and red currant, complexed beautifully by graphite pencil shavings, licorice root, fine tobacco, and a touch of wild rosemary.
  • Palate: Dry, medium-to-full-bodied, and remarkably sleek. A deep wave of pure black and red forest fruits glides across the entry, immediately elevated by a seamless, fresh vein of limestone acidity. The mid-palate has gorgeous vertical volume, completely shaped by exceptionally velvety, fine-grained wood tannins before drawing out into a long, persistent, and smoky mineral finish.

Serving Suggestion

  • Temperature: Serve at room temperature between 16–18°C. Keeping it slightly cool frames its deep fruit core perfectly and highlights its elegant French wood integration.
  • Decanting: A 30-to-45 minute decant is highly recommended to allow the youthful fruit layers and architectural tannins to open up and cohere completely. Ready for immediate drinking pleasure, with the structural integrity to cellar gracefully over the next 10–15 years.
  • Western Pairing: Slow-roasted lamb shanks with rosemary, grilled prime ribeye steaks, roasted duck breast, or aged Manchego cheese.
  • Asian Pairing: 柱侯牛腩煲 (Braised Beef Brisket and Tendon Pot), 蔥爆羊肉 (Sautéed Lamb with Scallions), or 北京烤鴨 (Peking Roasted Duck).

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