Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The single vineyard red 2014 Finca Capelinos was produced with the fruit from an extremely old vineyard planted with a field blend dominated by Mencia but also with other local reds that represent some 20% of the final blend here. This is their oldest vineyard and the first one they aged in oak. They fermented 40% full clusters and the rest of the grapes uncrushed in an open top oak vat. The élevage lasted some 12 to 13 months and was in used French barriques. It has had the advantage of one more year in bottle compared with the 2015, and it showed very harmonious, with subtle aromas and a vibrant palate with notes of blood oranges that provide superb freshness. This is a super elegant Ribeira Sacra thatt should age in the direction of a Northern Rhone, and there is already an herbal twist reminiscent of raspberry leaf that provides balsamic freshness and complexity. This could very well be the finest wine produced at the estate. Superb! Some 1,100 bottles were filled in February 2016.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.