Winemaker Notes
Mid-to-high color intensity, typical of the vintage. It has a fragrant and complex nose, with hints of red and black fruits (raspberries, redcurrants, blackberries) and
spiced notes of clove, laurel and black tea. Refreshing on the palate and bold in structure, with smooth tannins and a very pleasing flavor. Notable for its long finish. A great Tempranillo from a cooler vintage, in the classic style.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Deep, rich and intense nose with a hint of violets to the ripe, compact blackberries, chocolate, cigar box and grilled herbs. Juicy and concentrated on the full-bodied palate with fine, dusty tannins that uncoil the spiced dark fruit in a very flavorful, lengthy finish. Plenty of dark chocolate at the end. Impressive intensity.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The pure Tempranillo 2017 Pago Negralada comes from a warm and dry year with plenty of ripeness, concentration and intensity. It has dark fruit aromas and spices and a full-bodied, sleek and creamy palate.
-
Vinous
The 2017 Tempranillo Pago de Negralada comes from a single vineyard in DO Abadía Retuerta, Sardón del Duero. A dark garnet-red in hue. The nose offers chutney-like aromas with camphor, olives and balsamic hints layered over sour cherry liqueur. Dry with taut, reactive tannins and a bold mouthfeel, this is an impactful red that delivers lingering ripe fruit flavors.
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.