Winemaker Notes
"Bodegas y Vinedos Comenge produces a single estate wine, 100% Tempranillo, under the family name. The 2004 Comenge, from a top vintage, is purple-colored with an alluring bouquet of cedar, tobacco, violets, bing cherry, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied wine with layers of spicy fruit, notes of chocolate and nutmeg, excellent depth, and a long, pure finish. It has several years of aging potential and should provide pleasure through 2020. It offers fine value for a high quality wine from Ribera del Duero." 91 Points
Wine Advocate
February 2008
"This is not a blow-you-away RDD, but it is a smooth, well-composed red wine with clean, alluring aromas and ripe-styled fruit flavors that touch on raisin but then pull back to black cherry and dark plum. With its integrated tannins and mild finish, this is ready to go now and should hold form for about five years, maybe eight." 90 Points
Wine Enthusiast
November 2007
Professional Ratings
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.