Spanish Soul
Sembro Tempranillo, Vendimia Seleccionada 2012, Ribera del
Duero, 13.5%, €14.99, imported by Wine Alliance and widely available.
Some wines you only ever get to know briefly, a shakehands
and a pleasant meeting and soon you don’t remember the name. This one makes
more of a mark, goes that bit deeper. It has something special. From the heart
of the Ribera del Duero it brings an expression of authenticity. I won’t easily
forget the name of this magnificent Tempranillo.
Colour is a dark red and the pleasant aroma is of red fruits.
On the palate it is fruity and smooth and then you have an excellent dry
finish. After four to six months in new oak, there is some spice but it is pleasingly
moderate. Very Highly Recommended.
The Osborne family, better known for their sherry, has been connected
to the wine trade since 1772, are the producers.
Just had a quick look at the region in the World Atlas of
Wine (available in Bradley’s) and was surprised to see that Swiss pharma
company Novartis, “founded a vast property” there in 1996. More traditional
wine names, including recent investors Torres and Faustino, have joined Osborne
as Ribera investors.
Indeed, the region itself has only recently taken off, as “there
were just 24 bodegas in the region when the DOP was created in 1982”. Going by
this Sembro, we can expect more good things from Ribera del Duero in the years ahead.
