Winemaker Notes
Very bright, deep cherry-red. Complex and elegant, with predominating stewed red fruit, and ripe dark fruit; balsamic, spicy and smoky. Rich in tertiary aromas. A wine with a bouquet. Silky entry, with interesting, long- lasting, ripe tannins. Very pleasant velvety, balsamic and ripe fruit sensations. Looking forward to long life.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A creamy red with walnuts, vanilla and chocolate to the red and black cherries. Medium to full body on the palate with tight, dusty tannins and juicy berries. Long and youthful. Give it two years to develop more complexity while the oak settles more. Better from 2025.
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Wine Spectator
A balanced, medium- to full-bodied red, with ripe, juicy black cherry and plum reduction flavors accented by savory notes of tobacco, smoke and milled pepper. The sweet fruit returns on the finish, with hints of vanilla and violet. Drink now through 2028. 3,630 cases made, 800 cases imported.
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.