Winemaker Notes
Opaque ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, violet and vanilla, along with a smoky oak overtone. Sweet, seamless and expansive in the mouth, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors complemented by mocha and mineral flourishes. Supple tannins shape the smoky finish, which hangs on with impressive, dark-fruit-driven tenacity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is inky purple in the glass, with a violet rim. It has aromas of black plum, red cherries and a lifted note of dried rosemary. It is medium-bodied on the palate, with grippy tannins and flavors of ripe red raspberry, red plum, and cassis followed by a touch of cocoa powder in the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 JC Vizcarra (sold in some markets under the name Vizcarra 15 Meses because it matured in barrel for 15 months) is quite ripe, even in this cooler year, and hit the scale at 14.8% alcohol but keeping good freshness and coming through as balanced. The palate is medium to full-bodied with abundant, slightly dusty tannins that are going to need a little more time in bottle to be resolved.
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.