Winemaker Notes
Clean, bright, intense maroon colour with purple rim. Intense on the nose. Marked toasted aromas, due to the barrel ageing. Fresh fruits. Good entrance, structured and round tannin. Balanced. Medium finish in frutal hints.
Any kind of meat. It matches with grilled or fried potatoes, mushrooms or ham. Some tasty or oily fish such as tuna, cod. Medium-aged cheese and berry dessert. Rice and all kind of pasta.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very bright, berry-biscuit nose with youthfully appealing style and a fresh, juicy blueberry palate that is so silky and long.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Portia Roble Tempranillo is an excellent example of high-quality Ribera del Duero. TASTING NOTES: This wine delivers aromas and flavors of ripe berries and a suggestion of oak. Enjoy it with a sizzling, grilled steak topped with crushed basil leaves. (Tasted: July 28, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
Construction of the spectacular $25.6-million Portia winemaking facility is currently in progress. Commissioned by the Martinez family, the project represents the first ever winery designed by internationally famed architect Norman Foster, head of the London-based design team, Foster + Partners.
The property embraces 400 acres of terrain enjoying an eastern and southern orientation in Ribera del Duero. Vineyards are planted chiefly with Tempranillo (known locally as Tinta Fina) at an average density of 1,200 vines per acre.
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.