Spain

Wine Advocate 93 points. The biggest volume of the winery is the 2021 Ultreia Saint Jacques, which represents some 170,000 bottles, and according to Raúl Pérez, it's the most difficult wine to make here. They now work a lot to produce this wine, a blend of 11 wines selected from the 17 they made. It's a wine that represents Bierzo and is from a year when they used more grapes from sandy soils. It has 13.16% alcohol and a pH of 3.66; it's serious and restrained but juicy and easy to drink. Seventy percent of the wine matured in barrel and the rest in troncoconic oak vats. LG Aug 2023.

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 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 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 1.050 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...

Gold Medal, Brussels Concourse Mondiale 2022. Decanter World Wine awards 2023, Silver Medal, 91 points. Ageing: The wine takes 3 months in French and American oak barrels from which we obtain an excellent symbiosis of fruits and wood. Tasting: The wine is of cherry red with a scent of red fruits with wooden flavor. It tastes velvety, soft in the mouth with a persistent aftertaste.

Wine Advocate 91 points. The entry-level red simply called 2019 Garnacha is what they define as their regional bottling, using grapes from the villages of de Corella, Cintruénigo and Fitero, produced in an approachable and easy-to-understand way. It had a gentle vinification, starting with grapes of moderate ripeness with a good pH, fermented with indigenous yeasts and using 20% full clusters. The difference in vintage is noticeable when tasted with a majority of 2018s; this is a clearly riper and more open vintage, with a more Mediterranean character, with sweet fruit and aromatic herbs. It reminds me of some of my favorite old-time...

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.   #NEWJULY

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.

James Suckling 90 points. “Intense cherry red. Powerful, mineral, toasty aromas, with notes of dark roast coffee Full and fleshy in the mouth, with ripe tannins that still retain some hints of oak, with good acidity". GRAPE VARIETIES 90% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha. Harvesting Takes place between the 10th and 28th October the grapes are collected in small trailers with a capacity under 3 000 kilos. Aged for 15 months in American and French oak barrels, it remains a minimum of 6 months in the bottle before being launched on the market.

James Suckling 90 points. “Bright red cherry colour. Red berries, sweet spices, lively, expressive in nose. In the palate is fruity with round tannins, long and fresh finish”. GRAPE VARIETIES 90% Tempranillo, 10% garnacha Fermentation in stain Steel vans of 20Hl. Temperature control at 24o/26o C during 10 days . Malolactic fermentation at 20o C during 8 days Aging in oak during 10 months (70% French oak , 30% American oak.

James Suckling 90 points. “Intense cherry red covered with black fruit aromas, meaty in the mouth balanced with tender tannins Chocolate and coffee notes, persistent and clean finish. Oxygenation is required". GRAPE VARIETIES 100% Tempranillo. Manual harvesting from our bunch vineyards with vines older than 28 years old average alcoholic fermentation in tanks of 200 Hl with a controlled temperature Aged during 18 months in French and American oak We kept a minimum of 9 months in bottle before to release to the market-