Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
They are releasing some magnums of the 2004 Cuvée Palomar that was bottled in December 2006, so it has had time to develop aromatic complexity and polish its tannins in bottle. As is often the case with library releases and special bottlings, the price is very high, 250€ for a magnum in Spain. This was a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon from the vineyards that delivered more delicate and elegant wines in search of aromatic complexity, freshness and finesse. I'd say the wine has reached its objective and shows developed aromas, complexity and elegance, quite classical in style, with very integrated oak and a velvety texture. It has passed the test of time and is ready for prime-time drinking now. At the time, they produced 890 magnums, but I'm not sure how many still remain today.
The rebirth of a historic vineyard and of a whole winemaking tradition, the excellence of which remains intact, laid the foundations for today’s Abadía Retuerta winery. It now has over 30 years of history, as expert hands manage the vineyard by carefully looking after it and creating unique wines with their own Protected Designation of Origin.
Abadía Retuerta is a unique place where time stands still and feelings run high. Here, the past lives on in the present, and centuries of tradition and culture remain intact. It sits within an enclave bathed by the river Duero, which defines the traits of the surrounding terroir. Experts with great patience, know-how and anticipation really get the best out of the terrain: they respect the natural cycles and help the vines adapt to the austere climate of the region, in order to produce one of the estate’s most prized assets: its first-rate wine.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.