Winemaker Notes
Very deep, intense cherry red in color, this Malleolus presents a concentration typical of the 2017 vintage, a result of the low yield mentioned above. It has a dense, ripe aroma, with good intensity and a great personality. The balance between ripeness and freshness is excellent, and its months of ageing in 500-litre barrels has granted it´s great complexity. It is powerful and structured in the mouth, with good balance and a long, persistent passage.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Malleolus is also pure Tempranillo, in this case from small parcels (in Spanish "majuelo" and in Latin "malleolus") of vines aged between 25 and 75 years of age. Yields were reduced by 50% in 2017, so it's a very unusual vintage. It matured in French oak barrels for 18 months. As I found with the rest of 2017s, this is very expressive, aromatic and fresh, floral, aromatic, happy and expressive, without excess ripening and with fruit in the foreground and the oak neatly folded into the fruit. It's juicy, medium to full-bodied, perhaps not as concentrated as others, but balanced, with fine-grained tannins; it's very pleasant and representative of the grape and zone. Very good for the conditions of the year. 180,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2019.
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Wine Enthusiast
Deep violet in color, this wine has a nose of fruits of the wood, Mediterranean herbs and jalapeño pepper. On the palate, it offers good equilibrium of bold tannins and bright acidity, with flavors of blackberry, cranberry, dark chocolate and rose petal, and a savory finish.
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.