Wine Advocate (94)

The 2018 Aalto reflects the cooler conditions of the year, with a more austere profile, subtle aromas and a harmonious palate. This is a classic example of modern, ripe and well-oaked Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, which this year feels creamy, juicy and balanced. This follows the path of 2017 with integrated oak (they used only around 20% new oak) and a lively palate in a more drinkable and approachable style. They added some new vineyards from the zone of Boada where the soils are red and the wines bring freshness and lots of fruit. The wine had a shorter maceration with the skins and a softer vinification. This is finer and more balanced, with finesse but still very much recognizable as Aalto. 300,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020. They have a new white first produced in 2019 and a non-vintage red blend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the winery. They are also going to release small lots of library releases. The 2018s reflect the cooler year and show more integrated oak, following the path of the 2017.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2018 Aalto reflects the cooler conditions of the year, with a more austere profile, subtle aromas and a harmonious palate. This is a classic example of modern, ripe and well-oaked Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, which this year feels creamy, juicy and balanced. This follows the path of 2017 with integrated oak (they used only around 20% new oak) and a lively palate in a more drinkable and approachable style. They added some new vineyards from the zone of Boada where the soils are red and the wines bring freshness and lots of fruit. The wine had a shorter maceration with the skins and a softer vinification. This is finer and more balanced, with finesse but still very much recognizable as Aalto. 300,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020. They have a new white first produced in 2019 and a non-vintage red blend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the winery. They are also going to release small lots of library releases. The 2018s reflect the cooler year and show more integrated oak, following the path of the 2017.

Vinous (94)

Dark ruby. Strongly perfumed scents of exotic cherry-cola, blackberry, vanilla and Asian spices. Weighty but focused dark fruit flavors offer striking clarity and palate-staining concentration, with soft tannins building on the close. The cola quality lingers on the long, sweet finish. This wonderfully balances richness and vivacity.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2018 PS follows the style of previous bottlings of this wine, selecting plots from La Horra, La Aguilera, Baños and Moradillo, looking for a similar profile of soils and the style of the wine. This is an exuberant, ripe and generously oaked Tempranillo that was matured in new oak barrels for 19 months. It's from a generous crop that was harvested between the 24th of September and the 19th of October, a slow and late harvest of fully ripe grapes that developed plenty of aromas and flavors. It was also a cooler year. This is a long-distance runner. Today, the 2018 Aalto is more approachable and shows better balance. 40,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020. They have a new white first produced in 2019 and a non-vintage red blend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the winery. They are also going to release small lots of library releases. The 2018s reflect the cooler year and show more integrated oak, following the path of the 2017.

Immerse yourself in the distinguished taste of Aalto Ribera del Duero PS 2019. Born from the fertile soils of Spain's premium wine region, Ribera del Duero, this wine encapsulates the centuries-old grape cultivating traditions and modern winemaking techniques of reputed producer Mariano Garcia. The blend utilises Tempranillo grapes harvested from vines aged over 60 years and is aged 22 months in new French oak barrels to create its robust profile.

On the palate, Aalto Ribera del Duero PS 2019 impresses with a rich tapestry of flavours ranging from black fruits to nuances of cocoa and spices. Its structured tannins and excellent acidity culminate in a long and thrilling finish, making it a splendid complement to an array of dishes.

Commended by esteemed wine critics, this vibrant yet complex wine delivers a seamless fusion of power and elegance. Experience the ultimate indulgence with Aalto Ribera del Duero PS 2019, a testament to the winemaking prowess of Ribera del Duero.

Wine Advocate (97+)

The bottled 2018 El Carretil was phenomenal. It comes from a plot of 3.64 hectares planted at three different times—1930, 1975 and 1988—on limestone, sandstone and silt soils with up to 18% active limestone. Its Tempranillo grapes aged in barrel and then were racked back to stainless steel, where it was left to mature until it was bottled. It's mineral and balsamic, expressive, open and fresh, with beautiful elegance. It's classical with even a Bordeaux twist. It shows pretty much like the sample I tasted 12 months ago, expressive and open, aromatic and perfumed, with great freshness and balance, vibrant and energetic, juicy with fine-grained tannins and with terrific balance and purity. 5,000 bottles were filled in June 2020.

James Suckling (99)

A complete, fresh and complex Artadi single-plot wine with lovely subtlety. Spanish cigars, mineral, cocoa powder, some fine herbs, mussels and spices, with a background of fresh yet ripe, concentrated fruit showing crushed blackberries and blueberries. Tight, powerful but still dynamic and silky, with a mineral tinge to the supple fruit core in the middle. Not trying too hard. Impeccable balance with finesse! Tempranillo. From organically grown grapes. Already drinkable now, but better hold for a few years. Best from 2025.

Wine Advocate (95-96)

The tank sample of the 2018 San Lázaro, which was the final blend after some eight months in barrique, showed really well and confirmed my idea that this could be the third single-vineyard wine in quality after El Pisón and El Carretil. It's a wine of finesse and perfume, of subtleness and length but without lacking power or concentration. It has a beautiful combination of violets and cassis with very fine tannins. It has inner strength and tension, a recurring note when it comes to these 2018s. Very promising, in line with the superb 2016. They expected to fill some 2,000 bottles in the summer of 2020.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2004 El Pison stands out from its peers. It has a deeper color than the 2007 with a splendid nose that jumps from the glass. Notes of espresso, balsamic, Asian spices, pain grille, mineral, and black cherry lead to a velvety, mouth-filling, deep wine that effortlessly combines elegance with power. It should easily drink well for another 30-40 years. It simply does not get any better.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2008 Vina el Pison comes from a single vineyard planted in 1945 on pure limestone. It is the epitome of elegance with a sensual bouquet, a silky texture, already complex flavors, and a lengthy, pure finish. It will offer at least a 20 year lifespan, just long enough for the 2009 to be hitting its stride.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2009 Vina El Pison is born from 67-year-old vines within a real clos rather than the fictitious ones that abound. I could be pedantic and separate it from Juan Carlos- wines under the Artadi umbrella, but like my predecessor, I will include it here. The 2009 has a fresh, floral, Margaux-like bouquet with fine delineation and intensity. The palate is full-bodied with an almost impenetrable carapace of licorice-tinged black fruits, minerals, citrus peel and a powerful, sensual finish. Perhaps impressive more than pleasurable (at the moment), this behemoth will need a decade in the cellar before it will shine. Drink 2022-2040.

Wine Advocate (99)

The flagship single-vineyard 2018 Viña El Pisón has to be one of the finest vintages for this bottling. It's named after a plot of 2.4 hectares planted in 1945 in the village of Laguardia. The vineyard is an amphitheater with changing soils of limestone, clay and sandstone with a deep combination of limestone and silt. The grapes underwent a 24- to 48-hour cold soak and fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats for 10-12 days, during which time the grapes were foot trodden twice per day. It matured in French oak barrels for nine months. There's something mysterious about this Pisón; it's subtle and elegant, a little austere and reticent at first. The palate is seamless, silky with very refined tannins, with gobsmacking balance and a very long, clean and precise finish. This is superb. 6,600 bottles were filled in June 2020.

Guía Peñín (99)

Style: complex, with personality. Colour: bright cherry. Aroma: expressive, characterful, red berry notes, ripe fruit, spicy, balanced, chalk, new oak. Flavour: flavourful, long, chalky, spicy, ripe fruit, round tannins, complex.

Decanter (97)

The bouquet is full of fragrant black fruits, cinnamon, cumin and Frankincense, the palate beautifully fleshy and textured, carrying cigar box, vanilla, blueberry and silky tannins through to a lingering, richly-fruited, finish. Such refined elegance! Outstanding.

Wine Advocate (95)

The perfumed and elegant 2019 Interpretación is powerful and ripe at 15% alcohol, reflecting the warm and dry vintage. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for 15 months in barrels, half of them 500-liter ones and 30% of them new. It's a serious and structured red with a classical profile and terrific balance, very fine tannins and a silky mouthfeel through very fine chalky tannins. It's tasty, balanced and long, with stuffing and balance between the components to develop nicely in bottle. This shows the warm year and the hand of a very god winemaker; it is creamy and has good integrated of the oak. 34,563 bottles, 495 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in June 2021.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

Malvasía Riojana, or Rojal, is a very rare grape that’s only found in old co-planted field blends as a rule. But here it takes centre stage in a brilliant wine that’s fermented and aged on its lees in concrete eggs. Saline, focused and refined, with jasmine and wet stone aromas, a creamy mid palate and a long, focused, pithy finish. A stunning debut. 2021 – 2026.

The Bodegas Bhilar Phinca Abejera Rioja Alavesa 2012 embodies the rich terroir of Spain's prestigious Rioja Alavesa region. Nestled in the alluring Basque Country, the acclaimed Bodegas Bhilar demonstrates artisanal winemaking acuity renowned worldwide. The Phinca Abejera Rioja Alavesa is a boutique production, cultivated from old-vine Tempranillo grapes imparting distinct notes of blackberries, liquorice and wild herbs.

Striking a balance between modern winemaking techniques and steadfast tradition, the vintners use indigenous yeast for fermentation in large French oak casks, lending the wine an understated elegance and complexity. Ageing for 36 months in neutral oak promotes the wine's finesse, culminating in a superbly structured palate featuring deep fruits, earthy minerality, and a long, velvety finish.

As a biodynamic and organic estate, Bodegas Bhilar's commitment to sustainable viticulture ensures the continued quality and character of the Phinca Abejera Rioja Alavesa. The 2012 vintage possesses an enviable cellaring potential, inviting discerning connoisseurs to savour its evolution.

Wine Advocate (94)

As we didn't have another recent vintage to compare with the 2010 and the expectations were so high, Roda's CEO Agustín Santolaya insisted on uncorking another excellent vintage, the 2004 Roda I, to check on its evolution. The production and source of the grapes was basically the same as today, 100% Tempranillo that, back then, was fermented in French oak vats with indigenous yeasts, followed by aging in barriques for 16 months. There might be some things in common with 2010, which is the current vintage—a very balanced year with great ripeness and acidity, wines with power and elegance and a very slow development. This 2004 is aging at a glacial pace and should have a long life ahead of it. At the time, they produced 184,447 bottles of this 2004. It has been in bottle since May 2006.

Decanter (95)

From a warm vintage with an early harvest, this is a well-balanced Rioja with considerable complexity. There's a ripe plum character to the black fruit aromas, along with warm tobacco hints and earthy, undergrowth notes. Like a perfectly stretched tapestry, this shows a taut precision to the winemaking, with admirable balance. Polished black fruit, spice and chocolate notes show good persistence. A sense of freshness and fine tannins with juicy grip on the finish; this has life ahead of it.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

Built around a core of Tempranillo from vineyards near Haro, with a splash of Graciano from the Rioja Oriental, this is a superb Roda I from a vintage that is often under-rated in Rioja. Balanced, perfumed and precise, with adroitly handled 50% new wood, a hint of good reduction, some vanilla spice, wild herbs and layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit. Delicious.

The Calvo Casajus Ribera Del Duero NIC 2009 is the ultimate testament to the wine-making prowess of Burgos, Spain's Calvo Casajus winery. Considered one of the jewels of Ribera del Duero, it is a product of exceptional craftsmanship and passion. Produced from 100-year-old organically grown Tempranillo grapes, it boasts unparalleled finesse and flavour intensity. The varietal was vinified classically before aging for 26 months in French oak barrels, resulting in a superb balance between fruit and wood.

This grand vintage expresses luscious hints of ripe black fruit, liquorice and cocoa, accentuated by an undercurrent of earthy spices. Its soft tannins and new oak's slight sweetness create a gratifyingly rounded palate. Jose Maria Calvo, the man behind the label, has perfected the fine art of minimal intervention, showcasing the natural excellency of Ribera's unique terroir. Calvo Casajus Ribera Del Duero NIC 2009 truly captures the heart and soul of Spanish viticulture.

Wine Advocate (96+)

I was very pleasantly surprised by the elegance and balance of the 2015 Valtuille Cepas Centenarias, centenary Mencía from two plots in the village of Valtuille. This is always one of the finest wines in the portfolio, but this 2015 was especially harmonious, combining aromas of violets and wild herbs with an earthy touch and a medium-bodied palate with very refined tannins that made it beautifully textured. There is an extra degree of complexity here and it has the depth of the very old vines. This has to be one of the finest vintages for this bottling. There are 3,500 bottles of it.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2019 Valtuille Cepas Centenarias comes from a single plot of ancient vines that could qualify as Vino de Paraje and in the future as Vino de Viña, but they are never going to do it because it's their traditional name and label and one of the most consistent wines from the winery. It is made with field blend with lots of different grapes on clay and sand soils. It fermented with full clusters and indigenous yeasts with a long 60-day maceration and matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels (but, in the future, they might move to oval oak foudres) for one year. It has the violets and the perfume from the 2018 vintage but with more dimension, more layers and depth. A stellar performance in 2019 (again!). 3,500 bottles produced, what the plot delivered. It was bottled in June 2021.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2019 Valtuille El Rapolao, now a Vino de Paraje, fermented with 100% full clusters with a long maceration and matured in well-seasoned, neutral 500-liter oak barrels (which might be eight years old now), the modus operandi for all of the single-vineyard reds. It's perfumed and heady, as it comes from a plot that also has some fruit trees, in a v-shape, planted along with some 8% Malvasía grapes that have been added since 2018 and have given it finesse. It's more exuberant on the nose, something that seems to define this wine that is quite unique and different from its siblings. It's medium-bodied with around 13% alcohol; winemaker César Márquez feels that when these wines are riper than 13.5% they are too rustic. 1,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2020.

Wine Advocate (94)

The first vintage to have the new official category on the label is the 2019 Valtuille Vino de Villa, and it's a barrel selection of barrels from the centenary vines and Villegas, El Val and some La Rata, three zones they like. This is the new focus of the winery; it's a very serious red, with volume and depth. It fermented in oak vats with 40% full clusters with the field blend and matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels. It has the grainy mouthfeel from the stems. It has more structure and ripeness but with great balance and moderate alcohol, really representing the village and the year. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021.

Wine Advocate (94+)

The 2018 El Rapolao was produced with the grapes from the adjacent plot to the one from Castro Ventosa. It has maybe 5% white grapes and a faint reductive character—a flinty or gun powder note, turning into sesame seeds á la Coche-Dury with time—that the vineyard can have, with a lot less alcohol (13%) and is lighter and more ethereal and elegant. This is floral, clean and fresh, fulfilling the fresher and more elegant style of the 2018s. It follows the style of 2016, perhaps with a touch more depth and complexity, and it is more elegant, with more refined tannins and a chalky sensation. 984 bottles were filled in December 2019.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2018 Sufreiral is one of the very few reds from limestone soils from Bierzo. This year, it comes from a higher-altitude plot (he now works with five separate plots in the paraje, but the rest go to the Parajes bottling) and in a vineyard with some white grapes. It fermented with full clusters and a longer maceration, resulting in a wine with less color and more tension. If Bierzo is somewhere between the Northern Rhône and Burgundy, this one gravitates more toward Burgundy. It's floral and textured, with a fine thread, very fine tannins and the sapidity of the limestone, very tasty. It's a more ethereal version of 2017. It matured in a well-seasoned, neutral 600-liter oak vat for one year. Only 721 bottles were filled in December 2019.