Ribera del Duero Tasting Kit

From a notable estate in Spain's fine wine region Ribera del Duero and one that has been immensely popular with members. The weather in 2019 was warm and dry with fruit harvested at optimum quality, healthy and concentrated. The young wine is intense with a powerful expression combining hints of liquorice and dark fruits. The palate is dense yet accessible and voluptuous with a bright energy that balances the concentration. The wines of this property have a track record of ageing. As it matures it will become silky, mellow and cedary. The blend is mostly tinto fino (tempranillo), with a 10% cabernet and a 6% merlot, aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. Drink from 2025 to 2034. 14.5%

A fine expression of the hard-to-come-by white grape of the Ribera del Duero region, albillo mayor, which accounts for less than 2% of plantings. Up-and-coming young winemaker Borja Jarque presents a stunning, saline, mineral example, hand-picked from a selection of old vines interspersed across his plots in the cooler Soria sub-region of Ribera del Duero. Bright yellow in the glass, it shows notes of honey and apple skin with a chalky texture. Barrel fermentation and ageing are beautifully integrated, with a hint of reduction and a touch of oxidation adding complexity without weight. Broad yet precise, it’s lifted by a snappy, vertical acidity. Fewer than 800 bottles were produced.

Pago de los Capellanes is one of Ribera del Duero’s most respected wineries, known for its meticulous approach to viticulture and winemaking. Their Joven Roble reflects the estate’s commitment to quality, showcasing the vibrancy of tempranillo in a fresh yet structured style.

The (almost unpronounceable) name, Milsetentayseis, is Spanish for 1,076 and pays tribute to the dizzying altitude of these remote, old-vine plots in Fuentenebro. A revival project from the acclaimed team behind Pago de Carraovejas, this is Ribera del Duero at its most extreme: searing sun, bitterly cold nights, and iron-rich red clay soils laced with mica, quartz, and feldspar from ancient mining activity. From 85 tiny parcels this remarkable tinto fino (tempranillo) is grown organically and vinified with meticulous care. Grapes are hand-harvested, triple sorted, and fermented plot-by-plot in amphorae, wood, concrete and steel. The result is lithe, perfumed, and mineral-charged, a Ribera for pinot noir lovers. Expect wild strawberry, redcurrant and forest florals, and a flicker of spice from 50% new French oak. The texture is super fine; the finish long and bright.

Secreto is an immaculately made Ribera from Spain which has quickly become a favourite with members. It is elegant yet intense with a spicy quality that lifts the fragrant red-fruit flavour. Viña Mayor are also the first winery in Ribera del Duero to obtain 'Wineries for Climate Protection' certification while developing an ambitious project of regenerative viticulture alongside a biodiversity plan to recover and protect local flora and fauna.

Áster is a contemporary project from La Rioja Alta, based in the rising Ribera del Duero zone of Burgos. El Espino comes from two loam- and sand-based parcels at around 800 metres above sea level and, in this standout vintage, delivers a wine that favours polish over power, with generous fruit framed by subtle toasty, spicy oak. Expect notes of mulberry and blackberry, alongside freshly ground coffee and clove, supported by a firm underlying structure and fine, chalky tannins.