2017 P.F., Juan Antonio Ponce, Manchuela

2017 P.F., Juan Antonio Ponce, Manchuela

P.F. stands for Pie Franco, meaning the wines are still planted on their own rootstocks, and this incredible red comes from a vineyard that was planted over 90 years ago. Mainly made from the Bobal grape, this is juicy, silky, and incredibly lively. So delicious.

Critic score
94/100 info

This wine is now sold out. Please get in touch with your advisor or one of our team on [email protected] or 01473 313 300 for more information or guidance on an alternative.

Wine details

  • Region & country
    Spain
  • Maturity
    Ready 2019 - 2025info
  • Colour
    Red
  • Style
    Still
  • Unit Volume
    Bottle (75cl.)
  • ABV
    13%

Tasting notes

The recently bottled 2016 P.F shows more of its mineral, chalky side with softer, fine-grained tannins than its sibling from 2015. It also has lower alcohol and more freshness. The grapes come from ungrafted (pie franco in Spanish, or p. f.) and head-pruned Bobal vines from a vineyard that sits at 900-meters altitude. The vineyard was planted over 90 years ago and contains a field blend of different varieties, and some of those varieties (5% of Garnacha, some Moravia Agria, Marisancho, etc.) were added to the Bobal. It fermented together with indigenous yeasts in 4,500-liter oak vats and had a gentle vinification and longish maceration. The wine then matured in well-seasoned 600-liter French oak barrels. It's very lively, stony and mineral, with very good depth and incipient complexity, even if the wine is still very young. 9,000 bottles were filled in July 2017. This could very well be the textbook wine that defines the Ponce style.

Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com (December 2017)
94/100