Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc

"Rich for the variety, but also admirably “cut” and defined with energetic acidity, this is terrific and very well suited to spring and summer." —
Michael Franz, Editor Wine Review Online
Appellation
Rueda D.O.
Grape(s)
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Altitude/Soil
750 meters / alluvial soils composed of sand, clay and pebbles
Farming Methods
Traditional methods / Sustainable agriculture
Harvest
Machine-picked at night
Production
Gently whole cluster pressed to maximize varietal character, fermented in stainless steel tank
Aging
Aged for a few months on fine lees prior to bottling
Suggested Retail Price
$19
Wine Name
Scores
Downloads
Reviews
Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2020
92 (WRO) 89 (VfC) 89 (VM)
Score Publication Review Copy
92 Wine Review Online Prior to the widespread availability of temperature-controlled fermentation vessels, the Rueda region was mostly known for fortified wines in a style we associate now only with Sherry. That style fell into serious commercial disfavor about four decades ago, at which time a lot of Sauvignon Blanc was planted along with Verdejo and alongside lots of Viura. Sauvignon Blanc had by far the best international name recognition, but didn’t really out-perform Verdejo in most sites, and was consequently phased out by most growers and bodegas. Thankfully, the vines behind this wine survived, as it shows true Sauvignon character that sets it off clearly from this house’s excellent Verdejo. The tell-tale notes are of dried herbs and freshly cut grass, but whereas many Sauvignons show these notes on account of under-ripeness, this is both generously ripe and still varietal in character. Rich for the variety, but also admirably “cut” and defined with energetic acidity, this is terrific and very well suited to spring and summer.
Michael Franz - April 6, 2021
89 View from the Cellar The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc from Mantel Blanco is a fine example of this varietal, with an extroverted personality that does not shy away from this grape’s lovely grassiness. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a complex blend of gooseberry, tart orange, fresh-cut grass, salty minerality and a topnote of lime peel. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and bouncy, with a fine core of fruit, excellent soil signature, sound framing acids and a long, wide open and complex finish. I like this quite well, as stylistically, it bears some resemblance to very good Pouilly-Fume, but with the soil Rueda’s traditional salty minerality, rather than the flintiness one finds in that corner of the Loire. This will want drinking over the next few years, as it is bottled under a synthetic cork and only has good, not great acidity. But, it will be very tasty during its prime! 2021-2024.
John Gilman - Issue #91 / February 2021
89 Vinous Media Limpid gold. Fresh citrus fruits and green apple on the nose and palate; an herbal nuance builds with air. Taut and dry, showing good clarity, a late touch of fennel and firm cut on the nicely persistent finish. 2021-2023.
Josh Raynolds – July 6, 2021 Central Spain Additions
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Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2021
92 (WRO) 91 (VfC)
Score Publication Review Copy
92 Wine Review Online The 2021 rendition of this wine is every bit the equal of this producer’s Verdejo, which is saying something, as the Verdejo is terrific in this vintage, and my experience indicates that Verdejo is the superior variety in the terroir of Rueda, even though Sauvignon has more cachet internationally. Be that as it may, this wine trumpets its virtues at high volume, and there’s no denying them: Richness on the level of what one would expect from top global sources for this style such as Collio in Italy or South Styria in Austria, but with excellent balance based on varietally-indicative herbal and citrus notes. This is very close to as rich and ripe as I like my Sauvignon, so my personal preference would be to drink this over the next 6 to 8 months, and then keep an eye open for what this producer manages in 2022.
Michael Franz - August 2, 2022
91 View from the Cellar The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from Mantel Blanco is a very extroverted and complex example of this lovely varietal. The bouquet simply leaps out of the glass in a mix of gooseberry, fresh lime, loads of fresh-cut grass, citrus blossoms and a lovely base of soil tones. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a good core and soil signature, zesty acids and a long, vibrant and flashy finish. This is a wine that does not try to hide any of sauvignon blanc’s grassy character, but simply revels in it! Fine, fine juice. 2022-2024.
John Gilman - Issue #98 March/April 2022
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Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2022
91 (WRO) 89 (VfC)
Score Publication Review Copy
91 Wine Review Online This wine always runs neck-and-neck in my estimation with the same house’s superb Verdejo, but this year I prefer the Verdejo by a nose. It shows lightly grassy and herbal aromatic topnotes, with a mix of melon and citrus fruit flavors that ride through the wine’s finish alongside fine balancing acidity. This is weightier than Sancerre, and more closely akin to Sauvignons from California in that respect, but with better freshness and lift. It shares that characteristic with most New Zealand Sauvignons, but without the tropical flavors or residual sugar that seems to creep a little higher every year in what the Kiwis are shipping to the USA. In brief, this is very successful when measured against its global counterparts, with more character for less money than the vast majority of Sauvignon Blancs.
Michael Franz - August 22, 2023
89 View from the Cellar The 2022 Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc is another very tasty wine. It too is harvested at night to retain acidity and offers up a bright and varietally classical constellation of gooseberry, lime, fresh-cut grass, white soil tones and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is full- bodied, bright and grassy, with a good core, lovely acids and grip and a long, complex and nicely balanced finish. This is grassier in personality than the Verdejo bottling, but in a good way. Quite tasty. 2023-2028.
John Gilman - Issue #103 January/February 2023.
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Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2023
89 (VfC)
Score Publication Review Copy
89 View from the Cellar The 2023 Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc is another night-harvested white wine from Alvarez y Diez, and this technique has nicely kept the acidity bright and bouncy in the wine. If the estate’s Verdejo bottling is the Sancerre of Spain, the Sauvignon Blanc is more Pouilly-Fumé-like in personality, offering up a deep and complex nose of gooseberry, green apple, dam grass, salty soil tones, citrus peel and a lovely topnote of lemon blossoms. On the palate the wine is bright, focused and full-bodied, with a good core of fruit, fine soil elements, excellent balance and a long, complex and well-balanced finish that closes with a very attractive note of grassiness. 2024-2030.
John Gilman; Issue 109, January – February 2024
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