Winemaker Notes
Malleolus translates from Latin to majuelo, which is a local Pesquera del Duero term for a small vineyard. This wine is made from small plots which range from 25-75 years of age. The wine undergoes alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel before being transferred to new Allier French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and 18 months of aging.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This generous red delivers rich flavors of blackberry, currant, toast and mineral, which are harmonious over the well-integrated tannins, showing firm acidity for balance and a long finish of spice and smoke. Not showy, but deep and alluring. Drink now through 2030.
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James Suckling
Quite rich and assertively oaked, this wine has plenty of rich blackberry and plum fruit. The tannins grain is fine but strong. Extremely bright and energetic. Best from 2020.
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.