Winemaker Notes
Intense dark red cherry very covered, in the nose it presents intense and complex aroma, typical on this wine that once again brings us to the bottle the best of their oldest "majuelo". The aromas of the most genuine Tempranillo are the protagonists, matured and enriched in nuances by their aging in noble woods. In the plate it is opulent, silky and powerful, with a long and persistent aftertaste.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This plush red delivers a mouthful of sweet fruit and toasty oak, with currant, boysenberry, licorice, leather and cocoa flavors, backed by muscular, well-integrated tannins, kept fresh and balanced by balsamic acidity. Powerful, in the modern style. Drink now through 2030.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The opulent, heady and balsamic 2014 Malleolus de Valderramiro is sourced from a four-hectare plot in Pesquera de Duero, planted in 1924 on clay-rich soils. After fermenting in stainless vats with yeasts selected from the Valderramiro vineyard, malolactic fermentation was carried out in new American oak barrels, while aging is in used French barriques and lasts for 18 months. It has abundant toasty notes, hints of cured and smoked meat, some creamy notes, developing aromas of truffles and autumn forest floor, with an organic touch. This is faithful to the house style, the voluptuous character of the vineyard and the character of the year. It will improve in bottle, but it will always be a wine for the fans of the style. In any case it feels less oaky than the 2011, but still the oakiest of the collection.
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.