Winemaker Notes
Blend: 86% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Rich and opulent wine showing red flowers, strawberries and minty and meaty undertones. Full body, silky tannins and exceptional, vibrant acidity that follows through to a long, mouth-watering finish. Drink now.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Such a lovely wine, and one of the best from Ribera del Duero, the sophisticated and appealing 2012 Finca Villacreces shows beautifully-ripened fruit and superb palate textures. Enjoy this wine with a paella filled with both sausage and chicken. (Tasted: October 4, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Finca Villacreces is fresher and more balanced than the 2011, a little closed and serious at first. It took time to unfurl aromas of red and black cherries, subtle spices, and hints of elegance and complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins and good acidity, making it quite enjoyable and accessible.
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Wine & Spirits
Right next to the famed vineyards of Vega Sicilia, in Quintanilla de Onésimo, Villacreces farms 160 acres. This selection is mostly tempranillo, along with a little cabernet and merlot. It leads with freshness, with an acidity that seems to pulsate as the wine moves across the palate—an unusually brisk wine from Ribera. The texture is light and soft, filled with lovely red fruit flavors and edged with pointed tannins.
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.