Winemaker Notes
A bright yet deep red, denoting a young wine. On the nose it is clean and fragrant, with aromatic complexity — there are fruity aromas of blackberry, red plum and figs, along with floral hints (of wild rose) and spiced notes of clove and bay leaf. At first the taste is broad, vibrant and fresh, but also smooth and mellow thanks to its fine-grained and mature tannins that coat the palate. It has a long finish, and is certain to improve over the years.
Blend: 77% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Garnacha
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A deep nose, full of charcoal, sandalwood, olives, black pepper and blackberries. The oak is starting to integrate. Full-bodied palate with a creamy texture, accentuated by powdery tannins. Long, juicy and creamy finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2018 was a cooler year with more rain and higher yields, and the 2018 Selección Especial shows very harmonious and better integrated oak than the 2017. Despite having similar analytical data, the wine comes through as fresher, more balanced, more fluid and with a finer texture given the quality of the tannins.
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Wine Spectator
Savory and sanguine on the nose, with iron, beef and mineral notes transitioning to plumped black cherry fruit, rich ground coffee and spiced orange peel on the palate. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine, well-meshed tannins and lightly juicy acidity throughout.
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.