Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2004 Malleolus was barrel fermented and spent 18 months in French oak. It is purple-colored with splendid aromatics featuring toast, smoke, vanilla, mineral, and blackberry. Full-bodied, it offers a supple texture, layers of spicy fruit, and superb integration of oak, tannin, and acidity. Already complex, this wine should continue to evolve for several years and drink well through 2027.
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Wine & Spirits
A selection of vineyards from 25 to 75 years old provides this meaty tinto fino, a clear expression of the warmth of the vintage with its fig and caramelized blackberry flavors. The fruit concentration matches the high alcohol, creating a huge wine for wild boar.
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Wine Spectator
Vibrant fruit flavors of plum and blueberry are framed by sweet vanilla in this round red. Has a solid structure, but remains balanced and accessible. Fresh acidity brings you back for another sip.
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.