The 2018 La Mala could be the most mineral among the 2018s. It's also a little lower in alcohol and pH, so fine-boned and vibrant, with a bright ruby color, expressive nose and super fine, chalky tannins. This comes from 10 plots that total 0.7 hectares on a north-facing slope at 980 meters in altitude with vines that are 130 years old. "La mala" (the bad) was the nickname the growers gave to the zone due to the extremely low yields it delivered, but you know, sometimes low yields produce superb results. All the work in the vineyard follows the biodynamic calendar (although the wines are not certified), and the grapes are handpicked into 11-kilogram boxes, the bunches destemmed but the grapes not crushed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in 1,000-liter stainless steel tanks where malolactic is also carried out. This is a constant in the single-vineyard wines, and in 2018, the wine saw an élevage of 18 months in second use French oak barrels. This feels very young but approachable, as it's very balanced and fresh, with a medium-bodied palate that reveals acidity, length and pure, delineated flavors that stay in your mouth for ages. 752 bottles were filled in July 2020.