Sueño Tempranillo 2011

Produced in collaboration with Majuelos de Espana, the 2011 Sueno (which means 'dream') comes from an average of 50-year-old vines cropped at 3.5 tons per hectare and matured for 10 months in Allier, Nevers and Hungarian oak barrels (40% new). It offers a very intense bouquet of dark berries, mulberry and dark plum, dried pressed flowers developing with time. The palate is very well-balanced, placing a gentle but insistent grip on the palate. The oak is very well-integrated (any more new, and it would have unbalanced the wine) and it lends the dark chocolate-tinged finish a seamless quality and weight without impinging upon the terroir character. It is quite a 'deep' Tempranillo that will repay one or two years in bottle. Drink 2014-2019. Score - 91. (Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, April 2013)