Pena Roble, Ribera del Duero 2011, 14.5℅, €18.50, Ballymaloe Wines at Brown Thomas.
Had
just tasted and dumped a cheap and cheerless South American red (no grape
variety mentioned) before opening this. Chalk and Cheese. Actually had full
confidence in the Pena Roble as I had tasted it last year at lunch in
Ballymaloe, where it is the house red.
It is one hundred per cent Tempranillo and has
spent six months in American and French oak barrels. Colour is an intense
red with warm inviting aromas of dark fruits and some spice. The palate reveals
an extension and reinforcement of the aromas. It is complex and smooth, full
and spicy, and possessed of an impressive finish.
The
wine is produced by Bodegas de Penafiel, who began producing in 2000.
"All our wines are made from the indigenous variety
Tempranillo. This grape, hallmark of Ribera del Duero, contains exquisite fruit
notes that we extract to give our wines their own identity."
A
young winery, an old grape and, for me, a new friend, one to keep close at
hand. Very Highly Recommended.
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