Winemaker Notes
A clean, bright-coloured wine with a ruby-red hue and some violet undertones. Medium to powerful aromatics with hints of fresh red berry fruits, such as redcurrants and raspberries, together with toasted and roasted coffee bean notes. A silky, elegant entry on the palate. Deliciously rich with good acidity and very pleasant, well-integrated tannins. Intense red berry fruit flavors come through in the finish. The oak is harmoniously integrated bringing hints of toast and vanilla, characteristic of a wine aged in American oak.
Pair with barbecued meat, roast suckling lamb, suckling pig, and fine products from Spanish gastronomy, such as Bellota Iberico ham.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Black currant, menthol and cocoa powder aromas waft from the glass. This wine opens on spicy notes of anisette and mint leaf that are accompanied by robust tannins and black cherry, cassis, milk chocolate, caramel and violet flavors. The lengthy finish is marked with light floral and cooling herb notes.
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James Suckling
Creamy oak spices and chocolate that have integrated with the dark cherry and blackberry fruit. Chewy on the full-bodied palate with tight wood tannins that need a few years to integrate. That said, there is enough intensity and weight to hold this structure. Better from 2025.
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Wine & Spirits
Black cherry and fresh tobacco scents lift this wine out of its warm fruit flavors of jammy blueberries. Soft and cushioned, with oak in the background, this is mature and ready to drink.
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.