Winemaker Notes
Vineyard from 1923, high planting density, South-West exposure and with a great diversity of Tempranillo masales selections. Sandy soil formed by the degradation of calcareous sandstone rock, with the presence of ferric oxides and shallow.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows refinement, with dark fruit, blue plums, mulberries and a touch of violets. Firm and medium- to full-bodied, with compact tannins and a lengthy, ample finish. This is a wine with strong tannins that needs more time in the bottle. Drink after 2026.
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Vinous
The 2022 Tinto Fino Cuentaviñas hails from Ribera del Duero and was aged for 12 months in barrels followed by eight months in concrete. This is a novel expression for the region, featuring cherry and plum with a balsamic herbal undertone. light-bodied with a fine chalky texture and fluid movement across the palate, it avoids concentration in favor of structure. These contrasts allow its modern Ribera style to shine—lean, expressive and distinctive.
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Jeb Dunnuck
From 11 old high-elevation plots across many villages, planted to massal selections of Tempranillo between 1936 and 1958, the 2022 Ribera del Duero Tinto Fino has a dense dark cherry fruit character and is drinking well young while showing ample aging potential of 18-20 years. Twelve months in bigger French oak barrels and eight months in concrete add up to a texture of refined tannins, bright acidity, and savory tension to spare, with a hint of pine. Another fine wine from Eguren that shows his chops outside of Rioja.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The second vintage of the wine from Ribera del Duero is the 2022 Tinto Fino, produced with the same grapes from the same vineyards as the 2021 but cropped from a very warm and dry year. This wine has half a degree less alcohol but a sense of darker fruit and abundant and slightly more rustic tannins that give it a different mouthfeel.
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.