Pico Cuadro Vendimia Seleccionada 2009
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Robert
Parker -
Wine &
Spirits
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Winemaker Notes
This wine can easily be paired with roasted red meats and cheeses.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Pico Cuadro Vendimia Seleccionada is sourced from vines 60 years or older and is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. The nose is well-defined and very fresh with scents of small dark cherries, a touch of cassis, fresh dates and licorice. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins on the entry: vibrant red cherries, a hint of orange zest and star anise. The finish is taut, crisp and feminine – an elegant Ribera del Duero that should age well.
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Wine & Spirits
A fresh and gentle take on the 2009 harvest, this wine offers lively red fruit flavors in a suave texture. Its structure is firm, sustaining the wine through a juicy finish that will brighten the flavors of roast lamb.
Despite the vines ranging from 20 to 100 years in age, Pico Cuadro could be considered a “new” winery as it produces a unique style of Tempranillo, Ribera de Duero wine. These pre-philloxera vines were planted in impoverished soil on slopes of moorland, gravel, and clay land where silt was deposited during the quaternary glaciations formed by the river. This soil composition gives the wine mouthful acidity which balances the strength of the alcohol with the pure fruit aromas.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
Ribera del Duero, Spanish wine region, is located in northen Spain’s Castilla y León region, just a 2-hour drive from Madrid. While winemaking in this area goes back more than 2000 years, it was in the 1980s that 9 wineries applied for and were granted Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status. Today, more than 300 wineries call Ribera del Duero home, including some of Spain’s most iconic names.
Notable Facts Ribera’s main grape variety, Tempranillo, locally know as Tinto Fino, is perfectly suited to the extreme climate of the region, where it must survive scorching summers and frigid winters. Low yields resulting from conscientious tending to old vines planted in Ribera’s diverse soils types, give Ribera wines a distinctive depth and complexity not found in other Tempranillos. Rich and full-bodied, the spice, dark fruit and smoky flavors in a bold Ribera del Duero will pair well with roasted and grilled meats, Mexican food and tomato-based sauces.