Winemaker Notes
Antídoto is located in the province of Soria, in perhaps the coolest microclimate of the Ribera del Duero. The resulting wines are considerably fresher and more elegant than is typical from the appellation.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A wild and brambly edge to the ripe dark fruit here. This has a very succulent and saturated palate with fine, attractive tannin, providing plenty of structure and good shape. Fresh and attractive. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The meatier 2018 Antídoto had some resemblances with a Northern Rhône Syrah: hints of smoked bacon and flowers, juicy and plummy, ripe without excess and quite showy. It had a little less alcohol than the 2017 and felt more balanced and round. It had fine, chalky tannins and a dry, long finish. It matured in 600-liter oak barrels for nine months, which was a shorter élevage that seems to have respected the fruit. 135,000 bottles and 3,150 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2019. Rating: 92+
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Wine & Spirits
Bertrand Sourdais hails from a wine family in Chinon, in France’s Loire Valley. He’s been fascinated by the pre-phylloxera vineyards of Atauta, a town in Soría, in the eastern reaches of the DO, since he began working here in 2000. This is his high-altitude “antidote” to the ambitiously extracted wines of Ribera del Duero. It’s all about ripe black currants and the sweetness of the earth, a vibrant, silken and delicious young red. One panelist described a saltiness, like pork while it’s curing, and Antídoto is ready for well-cured chorizo.
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.