Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/142283
The Wines of Ribera del Duero Bodega Cooperativa Nuestra Asunción 2012 Roquesán Rosado Fresh, crisp, dry and dusty with ginger and cherry bitters in mid-palate. Paired with light appetizers, this is a refreshingly floral rosado. Bodegas y Viñedos Montecastro 2007 Ribera del Duero ($41) Perfumed violets and deep brandied cherries, briny herbs and Worcestershire sauce make this a savory red grown at mature Tempranillo vineyards from eight to 100 years old at elevations between 2,150 and 3,500 feet (96% Tempranillo, 3% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon). Paired with crisp veal sweetbreads and basil, northern white beans and pickled pearl onions. Bodegas Vizcarra 2011 Vizcarra Roble "Senda del Oro" ($18) This youthful estate-bottled cuvée is made by Ribera's "garagiste" winemaker Juan Carlos Vizcarra in small production (3,000 cases for the world). This is Vizcarra's most inexpensive wine, but its solid character shines through with high-quality fruit from the winemaker's top labels (Celia and Ines, each about $150/bottle). Sweet rhubarb and blackest of blackberry jam combine with soy sauce, saddle leather and dried herbs, making this 100% Tempranillo full, well-built and rich on the palate. Paired with breast of Beaver Creek Farm's squab with green garlic and Yukon Gold potato gnocchi. Bodegas La Horra 2010 Corimbo 1 ($63) Aged for 16 months in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels, Corimbo 1 is 100% Tempranillo from vines averaging 40 years. This bold, big, brooding boy is extracted and chalky—from low yields and high elevations. Expressive as a serious stage actor, the full tannin-textural sensation seers the teeth with a mineral-balsamic wipe. It dramatically begs for red meat, so the pairing of Shenandoah Valley lamb with smoked ham hock and black garlic is a natural. Explotaciones Valduero 2005 Valduero Reserva ($65) Bright, in-your-face fruit with streamlined smoked meat on one sip and a coconut richness on the next. Aged for 36 months in four different oak barrels, the dark cherries and herbs emerge at a crescendo—a lush and complex wine. Paired with pork belly croquettes, smoked mustard and pea tendrils. Bodegas Peñalba Lopez 2011 Arrocal ($15) Mocha and coffee notes are brilliantly folded into a ruby-red pudding of rich juicy boysenberry. Chalky tannins flirt with a satin textured elegance. This 100% Tempranillo is aged for six months in French (80%) and American (20%) oak. 52 / the tasting panel / july 2013 TP0713_034-65.indd 52 6/24/13 5:40 PM