Winemaker Notes
There is change in the air at Hacienda Monasterio with winemaker Peter Sisseck declaring the era of high alcohol over. The chalky soils where the vineyards of Hacienda Monasterio are located have no difficulty making powerful wines but harnessing the terroir to make balanced wines requires a tremendous effort in the vineyard to match the yields to the vintage. In the cellar Peter has started employing increasingly higher proportions of stems, is moving towards a more gentle maceration and is employing more larger and more seasoned French oak barrels. The Crianza, a blend of primarily Tempranillo with about 10-15% Cabernet Sauvignon and a smaller portion of Merlot, remains a rich wine but with a greater freshness and vibrancy.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Made with guidance from Peter Sisseck, the 2015 Crianza from Hacienda Monasterio is a blockbuster effort that’s a blend of 75% Tinto Fino, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Merlot, all of which spent 18 months in 30% new French oak. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by terrific notes of blueberries, violets, graphite, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated, and elegant, with a traditional style and building tannin, it’s incredible that they produce upward of 30,000 cases of this beauty. It’s no doubt beautiful today yet will keep for a decade or more. Even at $50, it’s a smoking value!
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The flagship Crianza is now simply referred to as 2015 Hacienda Monasterio. This is their biggest production, with some 181,630 bottles in this classical and powerful vintage where the secret was an early harvest to keep the acidity and freshness in the wine and keep the alcoholic degree under control. It's mostly Tempranillo, with 10% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, fermented with indigenous yeasts and with long and soft macerations. It matured for some 18 months in French oak barrels, 25% of them new (a percentage that has been gradually lowered in the last few years). It has a balanced nose, with nuance and subtleness, with the oak nicely folded into the fruit, incipient perfume, and even if young, you can almost see where it can go in bottle. The foreign varieties are not really noticed; they are very integrated. The palate has terrific balance and refined tannins. There is no heat or excess ripening whatsoever. For a moment, I thought I was tasting the 2014. This is one of the best and most widely available wines from Ribera del Duero. It should evolve nicely in bottle.
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Wine Spectator
Licorice, mineral and smoke notes frame black cherry, plum and loamy earth flavors in this sleek red. Well-integrated tannins and juicy acidity support the polished texture. Balanced and elegant. Drink now through 2027.
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.