Winemaker Notes
Very good with white and red meats, roast lamb or beef stew with mushrooms, rice, particularly those containing meat and paella with rabbit, matured cheeses, cured sausages, mushrooms, rice with "morcilla" and black truffle.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The elegant and powerful 2014 Llanos del Almendro was sourced from 19 small plots of old vines that make up 1.39 hectares at some 965 meters in altitude that are farmed following biodynamic principles. The destemmed but uncrushed grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts in 1,000-liter vats and matured in 100% used oak barrels for 18 months. So, no new oak this time, which shows in the wine; it is very integrated and not oaky. The wine is really harmonious and seems to be evolving at a very slow pace; it has subtle perfume and very fine tannins, great balance and a long, clean and focused finish. It's truly impressive, among the finest vintages for this bottling. Only 844 bottles were filled in June 2016.
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.