Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Matallana was sourced from a biodynamically farmed vineyard with crushing done by foot. It was aged for 20 months in 50% new French oak. Purple in color, it has a brooding nose of pain grille, graphite, espresso, incense and a potpourri of black fruits, Youthful on the palate, it has plenty of ripe tannin that will require 5-7 years of cellaring. However, the wine has all the right stuff, and it is only a matter of time before my score will appear conservative. Rating: 94+
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Wine Enthusiast
With Matallana, you must pay for your pleasure. But pleasurable it is. The nose is a splendid blend of licorice, baking spices, cassis and black plum. The approach is neither quiet nor loud, but well-spoken. It pumps forth huge black cherry and plum fruit, but offsets any raw size with tobacco, herb, coffee and other subtleties.
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.