Description

With vineyards located in the Burgos’ villages of Roa, La Horra and Anguix of the Ribera del Duero, this is a very special selection of  hand picked Tempranillo from the estate’s finest low yielding vineyard parcels situated at 820 to 865 meters above sea level.  Thus the label is designated “Vendemia Seleccionada”!  However, most Ribera del Duero wines of this pedigree carry much heftier price tags of at least $100+ a bottle.

The older soils of tertiary origin are poor and with limited amounts of organic matter.  They have a light sandy loamy texture that provide excellent drainage conditions.  There are whitish layers of limestone sand which provide elegance and finesse.

Specific vineyard sites are harvested and fermented by lots with native yeast in stainless steel tank separately before blending finals.  Macerations are lengthy, but avoid over extraction.  All racking and transfers are by gravity. Full malolactic takes place in French oak (new and one year used) barrique where the wine is aged for 16 months.  The wine is refined another 12 months in bottle.

Intense, dark, alluring color.  Complex aromas of black-purple fruits, Chinese ink, licorice, vanillia-bean, and exotic wood spices. Well-balanced and elegant. Stylish, vibrant, well-structured with power, but finesse. A predominant fruity character, with complimentary but not overpowering oak. A very long extended aftertaste on the finish. To be enjoyed now yet well suited for ageing over the next 10+ years.  A fabulous accompaniment to Renee’s gently smoked rack of lamb.  

“I taste dozens of wines from Ribera del Duero at a minimum each year, and have visited the region to taste and conduct interviews seven times in the past, yet this producer has managed to fly under my radar. That changed the second this wine hit my glass when tasting it blind, as its very dark color and nearly opaque pigmentation showed it to be a wine derived from very low-yielding vines — which is to say, something very serious. That impression is confirmed in spades by tasting, as it shows formidable physical concentration and very deep, penetrating, and persistent flavors, yet also excellent purity of fruit that wasn’t ruined by excessive oak flavors or tannins. Built for enjoyment with the famous baby lamb of the region but also suitable for decades (not kidding) of cellaring to build additional aromatic complexity, this is a great wine — a term I use very reservedly.” – 98 points, Michael Franz (July 2, 2025) – Ed. Wine Review Online.