Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Cepa 21 is from 15- to 25-year-old vines and aged in new French and American oak for 14 months. It has a very impressive bouquet with dark red fruit, wild strawberry, hints of dark chocolate and again, just a distant scent of lavender. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, crisp acidity and a very well-defined, vibrant finish with cranberry and wild strawberry that is very satisfying. Bon vin!
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Wine Enthusiast
Roasted black-fruit, horsehide and rubbery aromas filter onto a tannic palate with all sorts of fruit extract and pulp for support. This is a rich, ripe wine from a warm vintage with tons of berry power, oak, herbal notes, tobacco and prune on the flavor profile. The finish is ripe, with spice and licorice flavors.
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Wine & Spirits
Packed with powerful fruit and graciously detailed with toasted oak, this is an opulent Ribera. Despite its youth, its feels balanced; all its elements point to how tough and potent the reds from the region can be. Cellar it for three years to serve with lamb stew.
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.