Terroir-istes International - Spain, Castilla y Leon, Ribero del Duero Part 2

The second part to the Ribera del Duero and a look at the top offerings from the region

• 2012 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Tinto Pesquera Reserva 94 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): Mid ruby seemingly youthful the nose shows a clear oak influence with baking spice yet is fresh and intense with a touch of sauvage/feral! The sweet entry on the palate has a powdery texture with notes of cocoa powder, cerise and black plum; further enriched by dark 85% chocolate, all encased in firm, chalky tannins and lively acidity. The finish is decadent, like a rich chocolate torte, complemented by ripe, clean blackcurrants before branching into orange pith, steak tartare, and tilled soil (potting soil, maybe more). There is depth and a long length and for me the oak and fruit is beautifully integrated.
  18 months in French oak barrels

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• 1994 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Tinto Pesquera Reserva 90 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): light to mid tawny, the aromas are clearly tertiary but offer a diverse array of pencil shavings, undergrowth, charcuterie, smoke, black cherry, and a touch of wet tobacco. The entry is marked by marinated wet wood mushroom and stewed plums, leading to a fresh, textured, and creamy sweet mid-palate that is offset with a liveliness and cedary element; flavours of dried fruit notes, earth, liquorice, milk chocolate and fennel frond. The wine finishes long with mouthcoating elements and softened tannins. There are signs of oxidation, but just about worse - definitely should be drunk up!

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• 2016 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero P.S. 93 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): A youthful purple tinged colour with aromas of pencil lead, graphite, black and blue fruit, smoke, dust and liquorice. The entry is upright with a mineral freshness and less oak influence with fine, but firm tannins.
  There is a lovely warmth and richness/sweetness to the mid-palate, but the mineral kicks in, complexed by black cherry, blackberry, bilberry, cinnamon, and dried orange peel. This full-bodied wine, that is still quite dense, has wonderful concentration, bright acidity and a long farewell enhanced by black olive tapenade and a creamy rum and raisin mixed with plum flesh pie filling that meanders into the distance.

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• 2007 Psi Ribera del Duero 90 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): Cloudy with a deep garnet colouring. A complex array of red and black cherry, roast meat, sprinkle of dry spice and a hint of tomato leaf. A deep palate that mimics some port-like notes with a hectic array of Christmas spices and dried oranges with a smattering of vanilla. Full body with graphite and chalky edges the wine has a lovely density to the mid-palate and finishes bold and persistent. Not exactly an elegant wine but nicely defined example.

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• 2016 Dominio Pingus Ribera del Duero Flor de Pingus 92 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): Deep ruby. Intense nose redolent in orange peel towards marmalade, dark fruit pastille, graphite and pencil shavings. The heat of the wine is palpable feeling sauna-like on the nose!
  A smooth entry echoes the orange marmalade whilst flavours abound that mimic port, dry spice, garrigue, and Rhone-like characteristics. The texture is crushed velvet, leading to gravelly fruit-led high-quality tannins in an excellent concentration of components, even if, at times, the extract is on edge. It is a very focused wine like the previous one, almost with a touch of elegance. Complex, this may still reveal more in the bottle. It still has a nice tension to it.

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• 2013 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero 91 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): Deep black-red, the aromas are lifted with menthol, black olive, earth and liquorice, mingling with toasty oak, fruit cake and Christmas spices. The entry is robust and powerful, with more menthol and plenty of spices before showing glances of ripe redcurrant. Chewy tannins are not that dense; a purity of fruit, bitter chocolate and cedary quality develops in the glass with a brandy-like oak character that extends to a medium-long finish with hints of salted liquorice. The structure is supported by both fruit and oak tannins, culminating in a persistent finish with a leesy viscosity.
  30 yr old Temprasnillo sourced from Pesquera, Padilla and Moradillo.

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• 2014 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero 94 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): Deep black-red ruby with fresh spices, floral tones, cured meat, and lots of ripe fruits pointing to a warmer vintage. Wonderfully intense layers of creamy oak and chocolate enhance the nose. Enters the palate with gait and sophistication, and whilst it enters generously, the warming glycerol is draped in a velvety texture set upon fine, compact, grippy tannins. Flavours of potpourri, black cherry, coffee grounds. Complex, I loved the layered tannins, well-managed extraction (that feels at first a tad austere), and edge of savouriness, and all the time, its curvaceous full-bodied structure manages to avoid overwhelming alcohol warmth.

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• 2012 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5° 96 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): Deep and intense red colour; complex and deep nose with layers of spice and savoury notes interwoven with rich, ripe fruit. Hints of underbrush and cedar add to the wine's aromatic intensity. The entry is gorgeous with real density and focus, redolent with ripe boysenberry, raspberry, dry tobacco leaf, and softened vanilla-smeared plums supported by compact fine-chalky tannins and a backbone of fresh acidity. This hedonistic wine has precision and concentration in spades, with an almost Bolgheri-like complexity! Multi-layered, the finish is very long, with a hint of wafer biscuit.

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• 2005 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único 98 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (Tasted Blind): Deep garnet to training rim; the bouquet is complex and heady. The nose reveals intense aromas of chocolate buttons, tobacco, pipe smoke, and crème fraiche. Some development with autumn leaves and undergrowth just adds to the intrigue!
  The entry has remarkable depth of flavour. The wine has great purity and layers of fruit, providing multi-dimensional examples. It combines raisins, fresh fruits, and savoury elements with a plethora of Christmas spices, liquorice, cigars, and vanilla. Tannins are velvety and svelte, offering an extremely long finish with filigree precision that gentle grips the palate (touch chamois leather) on exit. Outstanding!
  Winemaking: 90% Tempranillo, 10 CS; natural ferment in oak fourdres followed by aging 6 years in French and American oak barriques (225) and larger 200 hl oak vats.

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