Ribera del Duero produces some of Spain stop red wines, but at a price. By Spanish standard, the region is one of the most expensive. I’m always looking out for a wine that represents quality for price…fairly tricky!

This wine is quite good value:

Wine: Montecastro 2004

Winery: Bodegas y Viñedos Montecastro
Denominacion de Origen (DO): Ribera del Duero
Alc: 14.5%
Grape variety: 100% Tinto Fino (local variety of Tempranillo)
Oak regime: 18 months in oak (50% 1st year, 50% 2nd year)
70% French, 25% American, 5% Lithuanian
Price: Around 12 euros in SpainI tasted the 2003 of this wine a few weeks ago and found it a little flat in terms of over-ripe fruit and an excess of tannins. The 2004 much better (in line with the better vintage)…it has just been released, so look for it.

Tasting notes:
Visual: Opaque ruby with little rim
Nose: Medium-high intensity. Black cherry with serious oak notes of vanilla and cinnamon. Also some anise and plum. Later typical French barrel pencil shavings.
Mouth: Big, tannic, structured mouth. Nice clean fruit matches nose, but finish dominated by major tannins that need a little bottle time to smooth out.
Food: The tannins were actually tamed by the Duck and Wild Mushroom risotto…really nice combination…surprising for such a big wine. Not as good with the warm lentil salad…too much vinegar!

Retaste: 24 hours on….more liqueur fruit notes in nose, but holding up well. Mouth is mellowed out a little, tannins in better balance.

Conclusion: Definitely will improve with little bottle time…represents very good value. Points: 7/10 (testing out a ten point system…to see if I like it!)