Although I find the inconsistency in Ribera del Duero wines to be a great source of frustration, the best are a revelation. Wines that carry an immense load of deep flavors, minerality and tannins effortlessly by virtue of acidity and, well, I can’t think of any other name for it besides classiness. Here is a wine that embodies the best of characters that Ribera has to offer, but hasn’t really been discovered yet.
Even before tasting this wine, one gets a hint that it is great because of the winemaker, Peter Sisseck: the Dane who famously makes some of the greatest wines in all of Spain at his own Ribera del Duero estate Dominio de Pingus. In this case, he has been hired by Carlos del Rio, of the del Rio y Gonzalez-Gordon family who own Gonzalez Byass (Tio Pepe Sherries being their most famous product). The Haciendo Monasterio vineyards cover about 70 ha of a 113 ha estate that lies between equidistant from Pesquera de Duero and Valbeuna de Duero, the two of the best villages of the Ribera del Duero. The Haciendo Monasterio estate was originally planted in the late 19th century, and now consists of densely planted Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot.
Handled carefully, in the manner of the best wines from around the world, from harvest to vinification, the grapes undergo a relatively long 2 to 3 week maceration, pressed to French oak Barriques (40-50% new) for malolactic fermentation and ageing. Unusually for this type of wine, they are racked frequently (every three months) to assist with clarity, and, no doubt to help soften the sometimes impressive tannins of Tinto Fino. The wine is bottled after 12 to 18 months in wood, and aged a further year before release.
Deep red fruit and irony mineral flavors dominate this densly structured, impressive wine. Try it with grilled rack of lamb, ribeye, or strong blue cheese. If you drink this wine anytime in the next ten years, make sure to decant it for aeration. Best from 2012 – 2025 (though it sure tastes good now).
