Isaac Fernandez Ribera del Duero Reserva 2019

Alcohol: 14.5%

Grape(s): Tempranillo

Localization: Ribera del Duero D.O., Spain

Tasting Notes: This wine combines power, balance, and elegance. It has a superior bouquet of plums, red and black cherries, cigar wrapper, notes of lavender, a fine base of soil and lovely spice framing of new oak. On the palate, it is pure, ripe, full-bodied and outstanding mid-palate depth, well-integrated tannins and excellence focus and complexity with a very classy finish.

94 Points - Vinous: Saturated ruby. Black and blue fruit preserve, vanilla, potpourri and exotic spice qualities on the powerfully scented nose, joined by a hint of smokiness that builds in the glass. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, with a core minerality energizing intense boysenberry, blackberry, cherry cola and lavender pastille flavors. At once powerful and lithe, this wine finishes with excellent persistence, resonating florality and gently firming tannins. Drink from 2023-2033.

The Domain: Isaac Fernández Selección is a unique collaborative venture between two individuals – Isaac Fernández Montaña one of Spain’s most acclaimed winemakers and Aurelio Cabestrero whose vision and commitment helped bring Spanish wines to the forefront in the United States. They work at rediscovering forgotten regions of superior terroir and maximizing the potential from old vines of indigenous grape varieties in a number of regions.

Their first joint wines were made in 2010 in Ribera del Duero, where Isaac has been working for more than 25 harvests. They produce two wines in the region, Finca la Mata - from a single, old vine plot, aged in oak for 8 months and Rios de Tinta an unoaked red from younger vines. Finca la Mata is the name of the single old plot they source fruit from. Rios de Tinta is a reference to the rivers of ink used to print exciting news in the many Spanish newspapers.