Northwest Spanish reds

1 Descendientes de

J Palacios, Moncerbal, Bierzo, Castilla y León 2016 97 £ 131.67 Millésima

One of Spain’s greatest wines, with a nose reminiscent of tar and roses, comparable to the best Barolo, a finely grained texture, and a mineral tension difficult to describe. A benchmark for the Mencía grape, which gives distinctive quality only in the best places in Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra. The 2008 was perfection in a glass. 14 months in oak. Drink 2020-2035 Alcohol 14%

2 Dominio del Aguila, Canta La Perdiz, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2015 97 £299 Indigo Wine

I had never imagined how delicate Ribera del Duero could be until I tasted Jorge Monzón’s wines. A pure joy of floral and fruity aromas, easygoing yet impressively complex and long: a new benchmark for elegance and depth in Spain. One of those wines that changes perceptions. 40 months’ oak. Drink 2025-2032 Alc 14%

3 Vega Sicilia, Unico, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2009 97

£201.67 (ib)-£370 BI Wines & Spirits, Cru, Grand Vin, Jeroboams, Justerini & Brooks, Roberson Trading, The Oxford Wine Co, Turville Valley Wines, WoodWinters

The great eternal Unico, with a touch of extra fruitness and spiciness. Made after very long ageing in different oak vats and barrels, from selected plots (including 6% Cabernet Sauvignon) within Vega Sicilia’s estate, in the (rightly named) Unico method (72 months’ oak). Probably too young now, it should ideally not be opened in the next 10 years. Spain’s flagship, and very difficult for me to taste without passion. Drink 2025-2045 Alc 14%

4 Dominio de Cair, Pendón de la Aguilera, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León

2009 94 £255 Alliance Wine, Hennings

A wine redolent of ambition and concentration; an effort to capture the essence of an old vineyard. More of an aesthetic exercise than a commercial product, this is a benchmark for understanding the potential of old vines (80 years or more), and the amazing depth of selected Tempranillo juice. 27 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14.5%

5 García Figuero, Figuero Tinus, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2015 94 N/A UK www.tintofiguero.com

Made with grapes from two old vineyards with tiny yields, carefully crafted and aged for a long time. An excellent example of La Horra sub-region wine, with genuine expressiveness: dense and finely grained, it’s long, distinguished and very serious. Such wines should be a special category within Ribera del Duero. 24 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14.5% ➢

6 Teso La Monja, Alabaster, Toro, Castilla y León 2015 94 £92.80/37.5cl Hedonism

Impressively concentrated, with a rich inky texture, multi-layered expression, lots of fruit and spice, at once plummy and mineral. It should become increasingly suave with bottle ageing. Recommended for decanting, even for drinking over three consecutive days. Toro at its best. 18 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14.5%

7 Abadía Retuerta, Pago Negralada, Castilla y León 2015 93

£62.50-£74.14 Enotria& Coe, Exel, GP Brands, Great Western Wine, Great Wines Direct

One of those rare wines in which everything is at the right place: acidity, tannins, fruit, oak. Highly enjoyable now, in 15 years’ time it will become an unforgettable experience. The 1999 is now gorgeous. The vineyard is exceptional, planted in the lands of a former monastic order after extensive soil analysis and terroir selection works undertaken by the best specialists in Spain. 17 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2040 Alc 14.5%

8 Bodegas La Horra, Corimbo I, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2014 93

£42.50-£51.99 (2013) Hard to Find Wines, Harrogate Wines, Noble Green, Wine Direct

Wonderfully balanced, rather than being impressive as such, this wine is a memorable example of great subtlety and consistency. With its elegant La Horra austerity and refinement, and stupendous finish, it will benefit from bottle ageing. One of the greatest successes of Rioja producers (Bodegas Roda in this case) in Ribera del Duero. 16 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2037 Alc 14.5%

9 Dominio de Tares, P3 Mencía, Bierzo, Castilla y León 2012 93 £45.54 Decántalo

Deceptive rusticity in the nose, opening up in the mouth in an impressive, complex array of aromas and flavours, with a tightly grained structure and refined expression in the aftertaste. From a 110-year-old vineyard. For anyone who’s been to

Bierzo, it’s a wine that conjours up memories of the landscape itself. 16 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14.5%

10 Ponte da Boga, Capricho de Merenzao, Ribeira Sacra, Galicia 2016 93 £29.13 Alliance Wine, The Drink Shop

A kind of red Riesling, with deceptively developed colour, precise fresh fruit and earthy aromas, suave balanced texture and a tense, electric finish. Merenzao is said to be the Jura’s Trousseau grape, but it is difficult to find a varietal commonality between the two when tasting – this is definitely a most authentic, very Galician wine that has great style. 10 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2027 Alc 14%

11 Sei Solo, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2015 93

£46.68-£52.18 Armit, Christopher Keiller, Justerini & Brooks

One of the benchmarks for identifying the area of La Horra in central Ribera, quite different from Peñafiel. Refined and a bit austere, elegant, with discreet oak and a poised finish. Old vines with low yields that give an amazing balance. Nothing to do with last century’s Ribera bombs, this is much better than that. 18 months’ oak.

Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14.5%

12 Comenge, Don Miguel Reserva, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2015 92 N/A UK www.comenge.com

A blend of Tempranillo with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is defined by its concentration, made from ripe fruit and given extended ageing in oak. It’s well balanced with a velvety touch, fine-grained structure, rounded tannins and restrained finish. An archetype of the Pesquera sub-region: a wine to keep for a long time. 20 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2040 Alc 15%

13 Dominio de Pingus, Flor de Pingus, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2017 92

£55.83 (ib)-£ 108.33 Grand Vin, L’Assemblage, Millésima, Nickolls & Perks, Private Cellar

This is a surprising second wine (with 6% Cabernet and 4% Merlot), not very closely related to the top Pingus, since it is oakier, very concentrated, juicy, fruity. It keeps an air of family identity with its depth and complexity. Excitingly intense, with a kind of aesthetic quality revealing the most expressive Ribera style. A most convivial experience, to be considered on its own rather than in reference to Pingus. 14 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14%

14 Dominio del Bendito, Las Sabias, Toro, Castilla y León 2015 92

£ 19.99 (2013) Ake & Humphris

A festival of fruit and spice on the nose, savoury and juicy on the palate, firm but smooth, with an appetising, leisurely finish. The most affordable top Toro, from ungrafted vines, organically cultivated. It should improve over the next eight years, and be at its best for another four years after that. 16 months’ oak. Drink 20202032 Alc 15%

15 Forjas del Salnés, Goliardo Espadeiro,

Rías Baixas, Galicia 2016 92 £22.85 Decántalo

Delicately poised, with amazing freshness, from 100% unoaked Espadeiro. Ethereal – one of the rare red wines that can enhance the flavour of well-prepared vegetable dishes. Delicately balanced, it is fresh, with a joyous, firm lightness, and it saves the best for the finish! A wine of original character, produced in an area that has no need to rely on any tradition, it shows great style. I could drink this forever. Drink 2020-2025 Alc 12.5% ➢

16 Tábula, Clave de Tábula, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2013 92 N/A UK www. bodegastabula.es

This wine is all about expressing the purest Tempranillo fruit: blackberry, a hint of plum, blueberry, violets... Juicy and soft, but also dense and open. Sheer pleasure. From a single vineyard at high altitude (850m). Should benefit from bottle ageing, but who cares, it’s great now! 20 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2027 Alc 14.5%

17 Viñedos Alonso del Yerro, María, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León 2014 92 £48 Decántalo, Vinissimus

Precise aromatic definition, with deft oak ageing and the right maturity. Velvety on the palate, consistent and expressive. This is a wine with clear identity, which I think has been undervalued up to now. A rare Spanish wine in consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt’s portfolio, it shows his influence in that hallmark of combined power and smoothness. 20 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2035 Alc 15%

18 Raúl Pérez, Los Arrotos del Pendón, Castilla y León 2015 91 £ 18-£ 18.50 Decántalo, Vinissimus

Probably the best Prieto Picudo on earth – and it shows the promise of better yet to come. Great acidity, smooth texture, original style and violet floral expression – a pleasure to enjoy over the next few years. A curiosity deserving attention, because of its quality and personality, plus Raúl Pérez’s genius. For adventurous wine lovers in search of a new rarity. 24 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2025 Alc 14%

19 Traslanzas, Cigales, Castilla y León 2015 91 £26.99 (2011) The Smiling Grape Co

A single-vineyard wine that’s quite exceptional for Cigales, more akin to a classic Ribera del Duero style, with ripe blackberry fruit and rich toasty aromas; firm and smooth, quite serious and dense. A rare Cigales, with plenty of elegance and good ageing potential. 14 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2027 Alc 14.5%

20 VidAs, Cien Montañas Carrasquín, Cangas, Asturias 2017 91 £22.50-£25 Savage Selection, The Curious Wine Cellar

One would take this wine for a great red Loire. Made from 100% Carrasquín, it unites freshness with tannic grip, shows a spicy expression with blackberry aromas, and has a persistent aftertaste. If only there were more of it... From steep vineyards in Cangas, Asturias, a remote area of unsuspected beauty. 10 months’ oak. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 13.5% D

Taste an incredible line-up of fine wines from Spain and Portugal at our Fine Wine Encounter on 29 February 2020 – see page 18 for more info.