Winemaker Notes
Intense bright dark cherry color with garnet rim. Powerful, black fruits with nice toasty notes, spicy, creamy oak, complex and elegant. Powerful, flavorful, toasty, round tannins, good acidity, fruity and spicy. Good backbone and lingering finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A dense, saturated nose weighs in as stout, which is fitting for a wine boasting 15% abv. Bold black fruit aromas pave the way to a rugged palate that’s jagged with hard tannins. Black fruit flavors are deep, full and spicy, with toasty oak providing framing. On the finish, coffee and wood spice flavors dominate. Drink through 2027, preferably with beef or lamb.
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Wine Spectator
This red is dense yet lively. Blueberry and blackberry flavors mingle with espresso, leather and loamy earth notes, set in a polished texture and supported by firm tannins and fresh acidity. Drink now through 2030.
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James Suckling
Plenty of black pepper, brambleberry pie and elderberry reduction, as well as vanilla. Full-bodied and nicely structured, this may not be the most subtle of wines, but it’s very drinkable and enjoyable. Drink in 2021.
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Decanter
Powerful and rich, this has plush oak ageing and is generously upholstered with layers of ripe black fruit. Everything is well-integrated. Lovely release!
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Wine & Spirits
There’s plenty to love in this wine, from the casual elegance of its fragrant black fruit to the delicious freshness. Then, as the wine opens with air, the oak begins to take charge, its tannins burning a bit in the end. Cellar this to mellow that oak and it should develop into a beauty.
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.