Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
The first time I met Luis Rodríguez was around 2005, when we tasted a range of his wines along with empanadas at his small winery in the medieval village of Arnoia, in Ribeiro. Rodríguez is a patient, meticulous man focused on his vineyards. He works with native varieties, tending the vines to produce wines that, at their best, are comparable to the delicacy and strength of great pinot noir from Burgundy. A Torna Dos Pasas 2011 is one of them. Made from a selection of parcels, this includes caiño longo, caiño redondo, brancellao and ferrol; it spends a year in barrel and then another year in bottle before release. This vintage is bright, perhaps the best to date, full of intoxicating flavors of purple fruit, with a strong, earthy, mineral presence and intriguing sanguine notes. The structure relies on fierce tannins that have the strength to carry all that fruit without effort. While this is a wine of great complexity, it is also refreshing and easy to drink. The first time I tried A Torna Dos Pasas, Rodríguez cut a generous slice of empanada to accompany it, an empanada filled with fresh sardines. It’s a great match.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The red 2011 A Torna dos Pasas is 40% Brancellao complemented with Caíño Longo, Ferrol and Caíño Redondo that is fermented in stainless steel and aged in used barrels from nine to 12 months. This is an Atlantic, mineral red showing good balance between fruit and wood with a little riper fruit from a slightly warmer vintage. The palate is medium-bodied, with some grainy, earthy tannins. 7,500 bottles produced.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.