Winemaker Notes
In Ribera del Duero, each village retains a unique personality. To make this Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and Cabernet Sauvignon red wine, the winery separately vinifies grapes from 9 different municipalities. The sum of these varieties and origins achieves a wine of great balance. Twelve months in French and American oak barrels increase final complexity.
Blend: 90% Tinto Fino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of earth, leather and berries carry a slightly gamy undertone on the nose. The stretched, sinewy palate is tannic, while this crianza from an off year tastes of baked black fruits that show a hint raisin. The savory finish offers a steady close. Aveniù Brands, Inc.
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Wine & Spirits
A blend of tempranillo with ten percent cabernet, this tastes of ripe raspberries, with some sweet vanilla highlights from oak aging. It’s creamy and clean, the tarry tannins gentle in their blackness.
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.