2005 Hnos. Perez Pascuas
‘El Pedrosal’ Reserva
Ribera del Duero, SP
Regular Price $34.99
Sale Price $27.99
Once upon a time, grapes were planted on the high plains in north central Spain, terraced on the hillsides overlooking the meandering Rio Duero. This likely occurred around 2000 years ago or so, although that is speculative. What we do know is that a Roman mosaic depicting Bacchus was unearthed there; so, yeah, 2000 years seems like a reasonable guess. 1000 years after that, Benedictine monks from France arrived and began tending the vines and making wines. Eight centuries later, Vega Sicilia, one of the genuinely great wineries of the world was established.
So why do people call the Ribera del Duero a ‘young’ wine region?
Wines critics didn’t take notice until Alejandro Fernandez started making Tinto Pesquera in the ‘70s. The region was not recognized as an appellation until 1982, despite the presence of Vega Sicilia. No one noticed the great wines of the Ribera, so, naturally, they didn’t really exist.
This, however, is a great wine, whether anyone is noticing or not. Made of 90% Tempranillo (and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon), the wine is aged in barrel for 2 years and then held in bottle for 10 years before release. Yes, 10 years!! Its full and rich, yet supple and elegant. The jammy fruit, overbearing oak and intense tannins have been polished smooth by aging under cellar conditions, and now, 13 years after harvest, the wine is ready. Will it age longer still? Probably, but why wait?