Imagine 2018

The red 2018 Imagine was produced with Giró grapes, their local red variety of choice that is being investigated to see if it's really a different variety. They separate the red soils for Rojo y Negro and the white soils that are higher in limestone for this Imagine, which comes from vines planted in 1950 and earlier at 600 meters altitude. They think the white soils produce finer, subtler and more delicate wines. 2018 was a cooler year, and the wine has 13% alcohol and good freshness. The destemmed and crushed grapes fermented in open-top barrels and matured in 500-liter oak barrels for 21 months. This has a wilder personality than the Viña Ulises but a similar profile, an earthier Giró, a little more rustic but with more oomph, faint notes of licorice and darker fruit, a little medicinal and balsamic, very spicy with notes of clove. Giró has a meaty, slightly animal character that they reckon comes from the lees after the élevage, and that character comes through clearly in this wine. The palate is medium-bodied, with some dusty tannins and a dry and earthy finish. It needs food. 1,244 bottles were filled in June 2020. I need to retaste the older vintages, because they tell me the wines change a lot and have more light and less darkness after time in bottle.