Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Among a small population of varietal Spanish Cabernets, Pago Valdebellón is exemplary. Bold plum and cassis aromas come with a needling of green notes and spice. In the mouth, this is tight and tannic, but not angry. Flavors of herbal raspberry come with a minty aftertaste, while the finish is lively and herbal, with a touch of heat.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Pago Valdebellon is a pure Cabernet Sauvignon, although perversely it reminds me of a Cabernet Franc with its savoriness and hints of green pepper on the nose. The palate is full-bodied with very firm, sturdy tannins: black fruit intermarried with mocha and leather that lead to a balanced, rather foursquare finish with a seam of dark chocolate.
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.