Convento San Francisco Special Selection 2004
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Robert
Parker -
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90% Tempranillo 10% Merlot
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2004 Seleccion Especial is a similar blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Merlot from the lowest yielding parcels on the estate. It was aged for 19 months in mostly new French oak. Inky purple-hued, the complex bouquet jumps from the glass. Notes of wood smoke, vanilla, toast, violets, mineral, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur are enticing and lead to an opulent, intense, deep, and super-sweet wine with incipient complexity. Well-balanced, long, and complete, it will unfurl in the cellar over the next 8-10 years and drink well through 2040.
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Wine Enthusiast
Starts out crusty and dark, with earth, leather and other savory aromas. The palate is clacky and tannic, with roasted berry, leather and slightly burnt and bitter oak accents. Finishes peppery, with drying hardness and a pinch of leafy herbalness.
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.