Winemaker Notes
A medium Morello cherry red with garnet hues. Good aromatic intensity on the nose with dominant notes of black fruits blending elegantly with toasty notes from aging in oak. A rounded mouthfeel, well balanced with body and those fruity notes reappear at the back of the nose.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2016 Legaris Crianza shows that Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines can flourish in Ribera del Duero. TASTING NOTES: This wine comes right at you with aromas and flavors of black licorice and blackberries. Pair it with a savory beef stew. (Tasted: July 11, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
There’s a gently peppery edge here that delivers some spicy complexity on the nose with violets and cassis. The palate has neat, succinct and contained cassis. Good drive
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Wine Enthusiast
A savory nose with ripe berry aromas and integrated oak hits the right notes. The medium to full palate is bold and brightened by acidity. Flavors of dark berry, peppery spice and oak finish with some warmth. Drink through 2023. Raventos Codorniu.
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.