Winemaker Notes
We are conquered by its intense garnet color, vivid and with a high layer. With aromas reminiscent of coffee, tobacco and wood. In the mouth it is strong and meaty and offers us serious and powerful tannins. Faithful reflection of the land and the vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Yolanda García Viadero and her family farm 495 acres of bush vines, which they planted in the late 1980s in the town of Gumiel del Mercado, at an elevation around 2,750 feet above sea level. They farm without chemicals and age their reserva-level wines in French oak barrels against the walls of a deep 15th-century limestone cellar in town. This is the García Viaderos' take on modern Ribera del Duero—rather than the radical-traditional style of Goyo, Yolanda’s brother, who split from the family to tend ancient vines and produce fresh field blends without sulfur. Much as I love the work Goyo does and the beauty of the results, I can’t deny the beauty of Yolanda’s 2014. It’s floral and elegant, evolving toward an idealized vision of what tempranillo can be. The wine’s tart red fruit has exciting freshness six years after harvest, offering notes of game and black plum skin, pear-like acidity and clarity. Lovely.
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.