The Wine In Spain Gets Mainly Great Acclaim

While seeking out Spanish wine lately, I came across these gems. I tried these wines without knowing much about them and gee they were good. Reading up on them afterwards, it became pretty obvious why. Tinto Pesquera is a Spanish winery located in Ribera del Duero and is the work of Alejandro Fernández, living legend and symbol of the rise and rise of 'New Spain.'

Ribera del Duero is one of Spain's top red wine producing regions. It lies within Castilla y León about 120km north of Madrid and follows the course of the Duero River. This extensive northern plateau is dotted with medieval castles and ancient walled cities and wine has been made here for thousands of years. Amazingly though, prior to 1970, the region was virtually unknown outside Spain, with the exception of the famous Vega Sicilia.

Vineyards in the Ribera del Duero are 700-850m above sea level, making them some of the highest in Europe. It's a continental climate here, with harsh winters and a short growing season, characterised by very hot days and rapidly falling night temperatures. Tempranillo is the dominant variety here where it's known locally as both Tinto Fino and Tinta del Pais - the thick-skinned grape being ideally suited to withstand the cooler conditions. The baking sun drives up the sugar in the grapes, while the cool nights maintain high acidity. This diurnal temperature variation results in the desirable combination of ripeness and vivacity in the fruit.

Alejandro Fernández's 'against all odds' story is amazing. In his own words 'a peasant from a tiny village' he left school at 13 to become the family breadwinner, holding various odd jobs as a carpenter and mechanic, with wine then just a hobby. In 1972 however, aged 39 and with no formal training, he started Tinto Pesquera, naming it after the local village. At the time, the majority of wines from the region were lighter in style and made using a blend of varieties. Fernández wanted to make a concentrated red and went for 100% Tempranillo. He used a combination of traditional and modern winemaking techniques and aged the wine in oak. The resulting wines were lush and powerful. And being full-bodied and fruit-driven in style, they were unlike anything else at the time. The wines received critical acclaim and Pesquera shot to international fame. Then in the 1980s Robert Parker called Pesquera the 'Petrus of Spain' and Wine Spectator ran a feature story on Fernández. He became known as the Master of Tempranillo and Ribera would never be the same.

Fernández was instrumental in the region achieving DO (Denominación de Origen) status in 1982, after which it expanded significantly to become one of Spain's leading red wine-producing areas. In 2008 it was elevated to DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada) the highest category in the Spanish appellation system and one of only three - the other two being Rioja and Priorat. Prestigious Wine Enthusiast Magazine named it 'Wine Region of the Year' in 2012.

Tinto Pesquera expanded to more than 200ha and as if this was not enough, Fernandez went on to establish 3 more bodegas (wineries): Condado de Haza (1989), then Dehesa la Granja (1998) and lastly El Vínculo (1999). All have been hugely successful and Fernández now controls an internationally recognised wine making empire. Incredible!

These are terrific wines from a genuine superstar of the wine world and I recommend them to you.

1. Tinto Pesquera Crianza 2009

This was the Pesquera wine that initially caught my attention and reeled me in. It's 100% Tempranillo with the fruit coming from 3 elevated sites where the vines are between 20-40 years old. The fruit is picked by hand, fairly late in the season, producing rich, ripe berries and the wine is fermented using wild yeasts.

In Ribera, Crianza is a designation, meaning that the wine has been aged for 2 years with at least 12 months in oak. The Pesquera spends about 18 months in small oak barrels and is not clarified or filtered.

2009 in Ribera was considered a great year, producing wines of remarkable richness. 'The 2009 vintage will probably be the best ever for most producers. What I tasted from barrel is truly extraordinary.' Jay Miller. The Wine Advocate.

The thing I love about this wine is the texture. It has such a beautiful mouthfeel, so silky and smooth. There's a purity to the concentrated layers of fruit and the flavours are nothing like I'm used to drinking here in Australia. Hard to describe, blackberry, licorice and notes of sarsaparilla. Combine this with fine tannins and sweet oak. A delicious mid-weight wine that you're going to like.

'Deep, bright violet. Blackberry, cherry-vanilla and licorice on the oak-spiced nose. Deep, sweet and pliant, but with very good juicy character and spicy lift to its dark fruit preserve and licorice flavour. Finished velvety and long, with fine grained tannins, repeating notes of licorice and impressive clarity.'91 points, Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar, Sept 2011.

You’ll find it at Movida for $92 a bottle.
I can offer it for $45 a bottle. SOLD OUT - Check availability

2. Tinto Pesquera Reserva 2008

This is much more muscled up than the Crianza, with more tannins and power. Reservawines are aged for a minimum of 3 years with at least 1 year in oak. The fruit for this comes from older vines than the Crianza and is aged for significantly longer – 24 to 30 months, followed by 12 months in bottle.

Having said that, it avoids heaviness and excessive viscosity, maintaining an appealing brightness and good acidity. It has darker fruit and is much more savoury than the Crianza. It has the best of both worlds – clean and new, yet old and savoury. Glacé cherries, cranberry and cedar wood.

'Vivid ruby. Spice and floral accented aromas of cherry and black raspberry, with vanilla, licorice and mineral nuances building with aeration. Juicy, penetrating dark fruit and floral pastille flavours are braced by a tangy acidity and pick up smokiness with air. Dusty tannins, give grip and focus to a sweet, persistent finish. This is a very successful wine for the vintage.' 92 points, Josh Raynolds International Wine Cellar 2012.

Let it breathe a bit – very drinkable.

You'll find it at Aria restaurant in Sydney for $160 a bottle.
I can offer it for $65 a bottle. SOLD OUT - Check availability

3. Tinto Pesquera 'Janus' Gran Reserva 2003

This is one of Spain's finest and most sought after Tempranillos. The previous vintage was 1995, so Fernández isn’t kidding when he says this wine is only made in exceptional vintages.

2003 was a super-ripe year, achieving great concentration in the fruit. The grapes came from a single parcel of the oldest, low yielding vines, in one of the highest vineyards overlooking the Duero River. They were hand picked and fermented using wild yeasts.

Janus is the Roman god with two faces, one looking to the future and the other looking back to the past. And fittingly, as Fernández draws inspiration from both, this wine is made using 2 techniques – one ancient (whole bunch, stone press etc), the other modern (100% destemmed, temperature controlled etc). The two batches are then blended and spend over 30 months in mostly American oak.

Gran Reserva wines only occur in above average vintages and spend a significant amount of time ageing. The length varies from DO to DO, however it's usually at least 5 years, with a minimum of 2 years in oak and 3 years in bottle.

'The 2003 Pesquera Gran Reserva has a liqueur-like bouquet of blackberry and black cherry that jumps from the glass. On the palate it reveals a slightly roasted character (likely from the searing hot vintage) dense fruit, savoury, incipiently complex flavours, and a lengthy finish. Drink it through to 2023.' 93 points, Jay Miller, Wine Advocate, April 2010.

'Inky ruby. Expansive, highly perfumed scents of blackberry and blueberry preserves, cherry-cola and fresh flowers, plus a sexy incense note and a touch of vanilla. Completely stains the palate with dark berry and intense spicy flavors, with smoky minerals adding precision. Blends depth and vivacity with a deft hand and shows none of the exaggerated ripeness of the vintage, finishing with outstanding clarity and lingering sweetness.' 94 Points, Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar, Sep 16, 2010.

This is a rare and superb wine, designed to be drunk on release, yet will do well when cellared. You’ll find it at Flowerdrum Restaurant in Melbourne for $357 a bottle.

I can offer it for $235 a bottle (limited availability). Click here to order