Winemaker Notes
Grown on a 19-acre plot facing the Peñafiel Castle, sloped terraces of calcium-rich limestone soil provide for nuanced and structured wine. Produced only in exceptional vintages, El Anejón is an expression of its land in liquid form.
Polished and vibrant with intense dark berry, floral and cassis flavors. Full of nuance with subtle chocolate undertones and rich minerality – representative of the special sloped terraces on which it is grown.
Blend: 81% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of blackberry, chocolate- covered espresso bean and lavender set the stage for flavors of cassis, black plum, rose petal, cocoa and licorice. Polished tannins and fine-tuned acidity wend their way to an orange-zest finish.
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Wine Spectator
A rich red, boasting deep, dark baked black cherry, black plum reduction, olive, tar and mocha notes enlivened by orange peel acidity and enmeshed with fine, creamy sculpted tannins. This wine's concentrated profile expands on the palate, revealing additional details of grilled herbs, dried flowers, iron and spices that linger on the lush finish.
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James Suckling
Sweet berries and dried flowers with spiced-chocolate and bay-leaf undertones. Flavorful and long on the palate, charged with creamy tannins and some creme de cassis in the finish. Silky and linear with a hint of plushness here.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 El Anejón is a blend of 81% Tinto Fino, 12% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon from a very steep slope where they have to make it terraced. First produced in 2009, the wine fermented in oak vat and matured in new barrels for one year. It was a very good vintage after the frost of 2017 (when they only produced Pago de Carraovejas); they had enough rain and cooler temperatures, and the crop was very balanced. The summer was dry and warm, the grapes achieved very good ripeness, and the wine finished with 15.5% alcohol. It has a ripe nose with some earthy notes, and despite all the new oak, the wine does not feel too oaky (they also keep the bottled wine for three years before it's released). It's very ripe and comes through as powerful, with plenty of tannin and a dark profile of aromas, developing notes of black olives with time in the glass.
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.