Winemaker Notes
Protos Gran Reserva, a wonderful wine, easy to drink, with a fruit note both in the nose and mouth, with very complex aromatique nuances.
Dark cherry color with garnet rim. Expressive and complex on the nose, the tertiary aromas evoke a big range of smells reminiscent of jam, cocoa, tobacco, mineral notes with slightly smoky notes. Round tannins with long finish. Good aging potential.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A slight savoriness on the nose is met by a beautifully lush palate, which captivates immediately. The fruit is fresh and almost perfectly poised, with a streamlined precision. At the moment, the tannins are a bit fierce, but the future seems bright here. Decant a bottle today, and put the rest away in the cellar.
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Decanter
Beautiful integration of alcohol, tannins and wood, in this really fresh and lifted Gran Reserva, deliciously iodine with seaweed leading the aromas, followed by sage, tobacco and cedar. The core weaves plum, prune, sour cherry and pink grapefruit, with a liquorice kick lingering on the long, salty finish. Still plenty of life in bottle with promise of interesting development.
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James Suckling
Quite a powerful and nicely chewy wine that manages to maintain its balance, which shows the power and potential of Ribera del Duero. Ripe but fresh blackberries, dark minerals and sweet spices with a balsamic touch. Masses of tannins delivered in a chalky, tense form. Long and still quite youthful. Certainly ambitious and structural.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2017 Protos Gran Reserva shows a deep ruby color and opens with aromas of alluring earth and fragrant blackberries. On the palate, it delivers concentrated black fruit flavors layered with smoky oak, giving the wine both power and finesse. An ideal partner for chuletillas de cordero a la brasa—succulent lamb chops grilled over vine cuttings, a timeless Spanish dish whose smoky, savory character mirrors the depth and elegance of this Gran Reserva. (Tasted: August 29, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
The history of Protos dates back to 1927, when 11 viticulturists established the “Ribera del Duero” winery, with an avantgarde vision of preparing quality wines under one brand. Over ninety years later, this spirit still lives on and continues growing year upon year. At Protos, we take pride in our roots, using only our native varieties, Tempranillo and Verdejo, and in 1982, allowing our brand “Ribera del Duero” to be used for the recently established Ribera del Duero Denomination of Origin.
Genuine commitment to quality, controlled vineyards, limited yields, manual harvest, barrel aging and a rigorous control of the entire elaboration process, give our wines global prestige.
This commitment to quality is demonstrated through the brand’s ongoing reinvestment in research and betterment of their vineyards & wineries. This eagerness to keep evolving and adapting the wines with the outmost respect to the land, have ensured Protos as one of the most well-known and reliable brands by consumers the world over.
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.