Spain

Wine Advocate 94 points. The old-vine selection 2020 Viñas Viejas wants to express the soil over the variety, selecting the plots with grapes that have more flavors and acidity and produce wines with more character and length. The wine fermented in concrete and stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter barrels for eight months followed by additional time in 2,500- and 5,000-liter concrete vats. It has a restrained 14% alcohol denoting a cooler year with more rain, and there is great harmony and balance on the palate—a wine of purity and finesse within the rustic style of the zone. It has a velvety mouthfeel...

Wine Advocate 95 points. I tasted again the 2015 Gran Reserva 904 Selección Especial, a blend of 90% Tempranillo from their vineyards in Villalba, Briñas and Rodezno, with 10% Graciano from the Montecillo Vineyard in Fuenmayor that was picked 23 days later than the Tempranillo that I had already tasted in mid-2022 before the wine was released. Time in bottle has done it some good, polishing the strong tannins that are the signature from 2015, though they are still not fully resolved, and a few more years in bottle will do it good. It's tasty, very classical, balanced and fresh. Impressive for such a powerful year. It was...

James Suckling 95 points. Penin Guide 96 points. Wine Advaocte 93 Points.   Tasting Notes : Dark-cherry red with a garnet-red rim. High aromatic intensity, with outstanding notes of ripe red fruit, red berries, wild strawberries and plum jam, leading to tertiary aromas from meticulous aging in oak: vanilla, cedar, tobacco, coffee, caramel and sweet patisserie notes. In the mouth, its initial freshness and structure, typical of this brand, predominate. Balanced, with soft, flavoursome tannins. Elegant, complex finish, where the ripe red fruit and balsamic notes provide a splendid end. Varietal : Blend of 95% Tempranillo , 5% Graciano...

James Suckling 95 bpoints. A more vibrant and fruitier expression of Ardanza this year with strawberries, mussels, warm spices and berries. Round and silky on the palate with lovely spices and a long, nicely saline finish. A nice touch of creaminess works really well here and further extends the finish. 80% tempranillo and 20% garnacha. Drink or hold.   Wine Advocate 94 points, The 2017 Ardanza is another showstopper from La Rioja Alta. The grapes come from three vineyards in the Rioja Oriental region that are 30 years+ old and benefit from 550 metres altitude. The Tempranillo (80%) and Garnacha (20%) blend spends 3 years in American...

Wine Advocate 93+. The estate red 2016 Reserva comes from a late growing season and was produced with local varieties like Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and others from their 86 hectares of vineyards at 590 to 805 meters in altitude on limestone, sandstone and marl soils. The grapes were picked late with good ripeness and health and fermented with natural yeasts in stainless steel and open-top oak vats and then matured in oak containers of different sizes for 20 to 21 months. These are more classical wines, with a more evolved nose, with high ripeness and some balsamic and medicinal notes. It has a dusty palate with Nebbiolo-like tannins....

Wine advocate 94+. Produced with grapes from suppliers, the 2018 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Labastida comes from a cooler and wetter year not without challenge. A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano, it fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in barrels of different sizes and origins for 13 months. This is more reticent and serious, with a grainy sensation on the palate, beautifully textured. It has more austere tannins. This is probably the finest vintage for this wine so far. 2018 has produced many great wines. 87,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2020. LG Aug 2021. #NEW

Wine Advocate 94 points. "....In this cooler year, it has contained ripeness and moderate alcohol. This is more expressive and open, showing everything from the first moment. 2018 is a special year, cooler and with more rain, and the wines combine power with elegance. For Pablo Eguzkiza, the year is a little like 2013. It's medium-bodied with fine, abundant tannins, with plenty of fruit and a dry, chalky finish. 86,800 bottles produced. It was bottled between April and May 2020." LG Aug 2021. 

Tim Atkin MW 91 points. Gold Medal, Brussels Concours Mondial 2022. Intense cherry colour, garnet rim. Intense aroma of candied fruit, sweet spices perfectly integrated with quality wood, making it elegant. Very tasty in the mouth, powerful and fruity, with ripe tannins. AGEING: 14 months in barrel. 70% French oak and 30% American oak. VARIETY: 100% Tempranillo. SOIL: High zone Altitude 830-950m. Clay- Calcareous soil with limestone. SERVING TEMPERATURE: 14 – 16o C.

Tim Atkin MW 95 points. Gold Medal, Brussels Concourse Mondial 2022. Wine Spectator 94 points.   Monteabellón Finca La Blanquera was created as a tribute to Fabián, the grandfather, who transmitted to his children and grandchildren the passion for viticulture. Finca La Blanquera is our vineyard located at a higher altitude with stony soil and high limestone content from which we obtain this unique wine. Very deep cherry colour. Powerful aroma, notes of blackberries in jam with elegant toasted tones. In the mouth it is meaty and velvety, with a long and persistent finish AGEING: 24 months in 100% French oak...

Tim Atkin MW 94 points. Monteabellón Finca Matambres is the purest expression of Tempranillo from our most important vineyards. A clayey-calcareous soil, the perfect orientation and our love for viticulture results in a very expressive, elegant wine. After spending 20 months in the barrel a signature wine is obtained.

Wine Enthusiast 95 points. "Inky violet in color, this wine has aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and lavender. Flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, mint and coffee bean mingle with plush tannins. As chocolate and mint fade, bright fruit takes over and lingers on the palate." -  95/100 ,  Wine Enthusiast.. Gold Medal, Brussels Concourse Mondial. 2022.   WINERY Note: Monteabellón Finca Matambres is the purest expression of Tempranillo from our most important vineyards. A clayey-calcareous soil, the perfect orientation and our love for viticulture results in a very expressive, elegant wine. After spending...

Wine Advocate 92 points. The 2019 El Andén de la Estación is a new red that takes advantage of the Barrio de la Estación, the train station neighborhood of Haro. It's a Crianza with less extraction, looking for the elegance and finesse of the classical Rioja wines. It's a blend of Tempranillo from their younger vines and Garnacha (that they buy) that matured in French and European barrels for 14 months. It's a quaffable red with lots of Garnacha character (it might represent up to 30% of the blend, by far the highest in Garnacha from the portfolio). It's floral, juicy and expressive, very open and...

Top Ten Best Selling Wines - December 2022 Under $60 James Suckling 93 points. Plenty of dried flowers, dark berries and sandalwood on the nose. Full body. Firm and silky tannins. Gorgeous finish. Drink or hold.. Wine Spectator 93 Points. This generous red is rich and round, with ripe tannins and orange peel acidity. Cherry, dried currant, licorice, vanilla and spice flavors are ample yet focused. A balance of traditional and modern styles. Drink now through 2030. #TOP10

Top Ten Best Selling Wines - December 2022 Under $60 A perfumed nose of dark cherry, plum, coconut, cedar and dried thyme. Full-bodied with chewy tannins. Rich and structured with a chalky texture and a firm, delicious finish. Better from 2022. 92 Points James Suckling. #TOP

James Suckling 96 points Numanthia is the most emblematic wine from Bodega Numanthia, and is considered as one of the great wines from D.O. Toro. Numanthia gets its name from Numancia, a city famous of the resistance of an epic attack from the Roman army. The citizens defenced the city until the end, choosing death rather than surrender. Drawing a parallel with history, the Numanthia vines have resisted the extreme climate for almost 100 years and have been able to overcome some "bloody" episodes like the phylloxera epidemic in the nineteenth century. Numanthia is a single variety Tinta de Toro, the reigning variety in D.O. Toro....

Wine Advocate 93 points. They are going for lower yields and less bottles of the 2020 La Montesa and slowly putting prices up, as they feel the wine is more serious than what the perception of the affordable price makes it. 2020 is a powerful vintage; it's structured and textured, the oak is very nicely integrated (12 months in barrel, but the powerful wine absorbed it completely), and it's powerful with 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.55, a little darker than in previous years. The tannins are very fine with a subtle chalky texture. There were 2,319 barrels that resulted in 672,000 bottles, 10,000 magnums and some larger and smaller...

Palacios Remondo La Vendimia 2021 is a vivacious red that captivates with its bouquet of ripe cherries and raspberries, interwoven with a subtle hint of vanilla and black pepper. On the palate, it is succulent, with an inviting acidity that beckons one to take another sip, and velvety tannins that allow the wine to glide effortlessly across the taste buds. It is a youthful wine, exuding a carefree personality, ideal for those seeking to revel in the unadulterated essence of fruit at its most genuine. Red wine Oak. 5 months in oak barrels.

“A perfect combination of deep concentration and elegance and very silky tannins, with a serious structure, all expressed with fluidity. I am impressed by the texture of this wine” Jancis Robinson.   WINERY MOTE: 17  by  PINEA is a 100% Tempranillo red wine, with a fine, velvety texture that perfectly combines a luxurious core of fruit and subtle notes of new oak, giving it freshness as well as body and intensity. 17 reflects the full potential of the Tempranillo grape, harmoniously capturing the intensity of flavours and aromas typical of the Ribera del Duero, but from a new angle with different, subtle charms....

“A concentrated, elegant Ribera del Duero with a persistent, polished finish”. James Suckling.   #4 Best Spanish Wine for 2023   WS 95 (3/2023): "This full-bodied red is rich and concentrated, yet fresh and elegant overall. Offers plush texture wrapped around a firm frame of sculpted tannins, carrying violet-laced notes of ripe black plum, dried fig, eucalyptus and spices. Hints of coffee and smoke enrich the lasting finish. Drink now through 2033. 835 cases made," WINERY NOTE:   PINEA is a signature wine named after the majestic, legendary  Pinus Pinea tree that stands guard over our vineyards....

Preludio de Sei Solo  is a red wine from the  Ribera del Duero  region produced by  Bodegas Sei Solo . It is made using only  Tinto Fino (Tempranillo)   grapes. The grapes that are used to make  Preludio de Sei Solo  come from nine small plots situated in the locality of  La Horra,  in the province of  Burgos.  The vines, which are around 60-90 years old, are of a very low yield. Only 7,000 bottles of this wine are produced per vintage. On arrival at the winery, the grapes are pass through the process of being desetemmed, followed by undergoing cold maceration. Then...

Wine Advocate 91 points. As with many reds from 2017, I was pleasantly surprised by the 2017 Hado, which Carlos San Pedro told me could be a modern version of the 2005 (and 2016, perhaps 2007). It has good ripeness, black rather than red fruit and spicy oak. The palate is still a bit tannic, but this wine will not be released until October 2019, so it will have some time to polish those tannins in bottle. LG June 2019. #22

Concourse Internationale de Lyon, Gold Medal. 100% Tempranillo from 40 year old vines. Matured for 12 months in French and American oak. Bright cherry-red with ruby-red tones, well covered. Complex and expressive on the nose, ripe fruit aromas and hues of good wood. Well balanced and fresh with a long aftertaste.

Wine Advocate 94 points. The eminently Mediterranean 2020 Uno was produced with Monastrell grapes from ungrafted 57-year-old vines picked at full ripeness with plenty of aromas and flavors. It fermented in open-top vats with indigenous yeast and was foot trodden and matured in a 5,000-liter oak vat for 12 months. So, the oaking is almost imperceptible and the wine comes through as balanced, harmonious, varietal and clean, very expressive, with a medium to full body and very fine tannins. Superb. It should age nicely in bottle. 6,600 bottles were filled in January 2022.  

Wine Advocate 91 points. The entry-level red is the 2019 Románico, produced with Tinta de Toro (a.k.a. Tempranillo) from younger vines (10 to 25 or 30 years old, some of them grafted) in the villages of Valdefinjas and Toro. It fermented in a traditional way, foot trodden and with soft pumping overs, with indigenous yeasts selected from their own vineyards and matured in used French oak barrels for an average of six to eight months, as some wine is kept in stainless steel and other lots are aged in barrel for longer. This is primary and fruit-driven (black fruit), with purity and something floral; it's juicy and tender, with ripe,...

Wine Advocate 93 points. The 2019 7 Fuentes El Lance, a red blend that changes with the vintage, was a blend of 70% Listán Negro, 20% Castellana Negra and 10% Vijariego Negro from different plots from five vineyards—Habanera, Florida, Pencones, Cruz Santa and Diego—fermented in plastic bins and concrete vats with 20% to 100% full clusters, depending on the variety, with indigenous yeasts and without temperature control. It matured in used 500-liter oak barrels for nine months. It has a medium body and ripeness with 12.5% alcohol. It's very volcanic, stony and tasty, with very fine tannins and tasty flavors. This is not...

Wine Advocate 96 points. James Suckling 95 points. Decanter 95 points.   Blend of mostly Tinto Fino then Navarro, Valenciano, and Albillo. "There is a change in the 2020 Matallana, as they have included Jean-Guillaume Prats (ex-Cos d'Estournel, ex-Lafite...) in the Ribera del Duero project, and the wine is going to be sold for the first time with this vintage through the négociant system of La Place de Bordeaux. The grapes from the five villages (mentioned but then crossed out on the label) were picked between the sixth and 18th of October and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and oak vats. The...

Wine Advocate 91 points. The light red 2021 Tragolargo is a pure fruit-driven and young Monastrell from a vineyard on sandy and limestone soils in the Casa Balaguer property. It was picked early to preserve acidity and fermented with one-third full clusters and the rest uncrushed. In 2021 there was a heat wave that affected the whites, but they consider it a very good year for reds. It has 13.5% alcohol and a medium body, bottled unoaked, primary, young and fleshy. 25,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2022.  

94 points Wine Spectator: “This full-bodied red is generous yet structured, featuring depth and balance. Ripe flavors of plum and currant mingle with cocoa, clove and mineral notes, supported by mouthcoating tannins and balsamic acidity. Harmonious and long. Best from 2022 through 2037." Bodegas Valderiz is located in Roa, where some of the most complex Tinta del Pais grapes in Spain are produced. In 1980, the head of the family, Tomas Esteban considered his options for making the most of their plots. The vineyard began to take shape over the next 10 years with the efforts and devotion of his sons Juan and Ricardo. The current...

Mundus Vini 2018, Trophy, Best Wine from Ribera del Duero. AWC Vienna, Gold Medal, 2017.   Vintage: 2005 Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grape from vineyards over 80 years old. Vineyard: Located between 800 and 850 meters of altitude Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock Alcoholic grade: 14.5% vol. Harvest: The year 2005 turned out to be a short vegetative cycle, due to an early frost in September, which did not affect the grapes, which were already ripe and of optimal quality to be harvested. The harvest was carried out between September 15 and 20, 2005, with an average...

4 Golds. AWC Vienna 2023; Beverage Testing Institute 2021 Mundus Vini 2021 Les Citadelles du Vin 2017 Tim Aitken 91/100 Penin Guise 91/100 Vintage: 2009 Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grape from vineyards over 80 years old. Vineyard: Located between 800 and 850 meters of altitude Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock Alcoholic grade: 14.5% vol. Harvest: The 2009 vintage had a balanced development cycle of the vines, with the typical temperature contrast between day and night throughout the summer, which allowed the production of a wine of exceptional quality, with a powerful structure...

Gold Medal IWC Vienna 2011. Vintage: 2003 Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grape from vineyards over 80 years old. Vineyard: Located between 800 and 850 meters of altitude. Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock Alcoholic grade: 15% vol. Harvest: This vintage was especially complicated due to the drought and strong heat, but the good weather conditions of the vintage with wide contrasts between day and night achieved excellent maturation, which has allowed us to carry out this magnificent elaboration. The harvest was carried out on October 3 and 4, 2003 with an average temperature of...

7 Gold medals. HK IWSC 2020 Trophy Best Wine from Spain. HK IWSC 2020 Trophy Best Tempranillo. Vintage: 2004 Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grape from vineyards over 80 years old. Vineyard: Located between 800 and 850 meters of altitude Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock Alcoholic grade: 15.5% vol. Harvest:  The year 2004 turned out to be an exceptional vegetative cycle with enormous thermal jumps between days and nights throughout the summer and especially in the last month before the harvest. This has allowed us to produce an exceptionally qualitative wine with great structure...

2 Golds. Decanter 94 points. Tim Aitken 91 points Vintage: 2005 Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grape from vineyards over 80 years old. Vineyard: Located between 800 and 850 meters of altitude Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock Alcoholic grade: 15.5% vol. Harvest: The year 2005 turned out to be a short vegetative cycle, due to an early frost in September, which did not affect the grapes, which were already ripe and of optimal quality to be picked. This has allowed us to produce an exceptional wine, with great structure and power, which ensures a great capacity for aging in the...

Gold Medal. Mundus Vini 2020 Glod Medal, AWC Vienna 2017. Decanter 93 points. Vintage: 2009 Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grape from vineyards over 80 years old. Vineyard: Located between 800 and 850 meters of altitude Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock Alcoholic grade: 15.5% vol. Harvest: The 2009 vintage had a balanced development cycle of the vines, with the typical temperature contrast between day and night throughout the summer, which allowed the production of a wine of exceptional quality, with a powerful structure and great aging capacity. The harvest was carried out...

Gold Medal, Mundus Vini 2012. Gold Medal, Les Citadelles du Vin 2012. James Suckling 92 points. Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grapes from our own vineyards. Vineyard: Located in alluvial terrain between 800 and 850 meters of altitude. Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock. Alcoholic grade: 14.5% vol. Harvest: The year 2004 turned out to be an exceptional vegetative cycle with enormous thermal jumps between days and nights throughout the summer and especially in the last month before the harvest.  The harvest was carried out between September 27 and 29, 2004 with an average temperature...

Gold Medal, AWC Vienna, 2017. Gold Medal, Bacchus 2016. James Suckling 92 points.   Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grapes from our own vineyards. Vineyard: Located in alluvial terrain between 800 and 850 meters of altitude. Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock. Alcoholic grade: 14.5% vol. Harvest: The year 2005 turned out to be a short vegetative cycle, due to an early frost in September, which did not affect the grapes, which were already ripe and of optimal quality to be picked. The harvest was carried out between September 15 and 20, 2005, with an average temperature of...

Gold Medal, Les Citadelles du Vin 2011 Varieties: 100% Tempranillo grapes from our own vineyards. Vineyard: Located in alluvial terrain between 800 and 850 meters of altitude. Soils: Granites and sandstones from the alteration of the bedrock. Alcoholic grade:  14.5% vol. Harvest: The 2009 vintage had a balanced development cycle of the vines, with the typical temperature contrast between day and night throughout the summer, which allowed the production of a wine of exceptional quality, with a powerful structure and great aging capacity. The harvest was carried out between October 10 and 14, 2009 at an...

Wine Enthusiast 95 points. "A black fruit aroma melds with a balsamic tone and a hint of road tar on the nose. The palate deals a forceful combination of tannins and acidity, while this Gran Reserva from a hot, dry year tastes of ripe black fruits backed by oak and vanilla. Drink through 2028. " Michael Schachner. Decanter World Wine awards 95 points. Intense and complex aromas. Its deep notes of ripe black and red fruit are mixed with the smoky aromas and the hints of coffee, chocolate and leather with a touch of undergrowth. In the background, a subtle and elegant minerality is felt along with its good balsamic aromas. Only made...

Wine and Spirits Magazine 93 points. Vineyards: A selection of our own vineyards in Sotillo and Quintana del Pidio (Burgos) and Pesquera (Valladolid), with an altitude between 900 and 1050 meters. The vineyards are an average of 40 years old and the soil is a mixture of clay and lime, with deep and very sandy gravel on the surface. Ageing: Following the fermentation and maceration, the wine was transferred into 225-litre barrels of new French oak, where it remained for 14 months (and was racked every six months). The wine was then aged in the bottle for a minimum of six months. Tasting: A deep, intense cherry-red colour, bright and...

All new oak barrels used (70% French/ 30% American). Quite extraordinary for a wine of such modest pricing. Decanter World Wine Awards 2023, Gold Medal and 95 points. "Leafy, black fruit, earth and leather aromas. The palate is juicy with rounded, ripe tannins and some firmness of oak at this stage. Has the potential to evolve gracefully. Long, elegat finish." Gold Medal, Brussels Concourse Mondial 2022. Gold Medal Mundus Vini 2022. Ageing: The wine has remained in French and American oak barrels for 12 months during which the traditional barrel-to-barrel transfer has proceeded every 6 months. Tasting: It shows cherry red with a...

Tim Atkin MW 91 points. “Intense red colour with garnet edge Complex aroma, red fruits, wild herbs Roasted notes of coffee, black chocolate. Fresh, fruity, fleshy, tasty, round, complex, balanced, long and persistent in the mouth". Tempranillo 100%. From a selection of the Tempranillo harvested at optimal health and maturation in small 15 kg boxes. In the winery, a manual selection of bunches and destemming occurs and crushing without pressure. Produced by malolactic fermentation in the barrel and then an aging of 14 months in French and American oak barrels, 50% of which are 12 months old.