Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Tinto 2003
Tempranillo
from Ribera del Duero, Spain
winemaker's notes:
In 1987, Alejandro Fernández, the acknowledged master of Spains precocious Tempranillo grape, spied a neglected slope along the Duero River which promised to be the most ideal vineyard site in the region: one full kilometer of southfacing slope leading to the rivers edge, remarkable in the absence of intervening benchland terrain. 15 months in American oak. This year presented a short crop of healthy grapes, resulting in a rich, deeply colored wine with robust, chewy tannins balanced by a perfect touch of clean, toasty oak.
"Bright ruby-red. Superripe but fresh aromas of black cherry and exotic dried red fruits. Supple, suave and fairly deep, with generous flavors of dark cherry, currant and raspberry confit; jammy but not stewy. In the very ripe style of this hot year without losing its balance. Finishes with thoroughly ripe, smooth tannins." -Stephen Tanzer
The color was deep and the nose was light. Maybe just a hint of prune. The flavor was big! Bold red berries with a nice smooth finish. Great mouth feel. It was my first Condado experience and it was well worth repeating. We had a spicy meal with this and it paired well.