Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Viña Pedrosa la Navilla Reserva was already bottled and the wine should be released in late 2017, before I taste again here in some 16 months. The wine has the same source and production process, some 20 months in oak. These are 40- to 45-year-old vines, and they produce very balanced grapes that they tend to harvest early. None of their wines have a pH higher than 3.6. This is extremely perfumed, a little more modern if you like, with perfect integration of the oak with the wine, the nose is tremendously harmonious. I was immediately surprised by this wine when I first put my nose in the glass and it continued opening up and developing. It has the very fine tannins that are part of the house style and the lively mouthfeel of the 2014s. Some 30,000 bottles are produced every year, as the wine comes from one specific vineyard and yields are similar from year to year.
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.