2016 Valserrano Monteviejo “750ML”

2016 Valserrano Monteviejo

2016 Valserrano Monteviejo A superb clay and sand-based vineyard that has been in the Simon family since the late 1940s.

Intense, deep garnet-red color with little sign of evolution. With the glass at rest, mineral aromas of china ink, stone and terroir. When you swirl the glass reminders of graphite, prunes, sweet liquorice, toast. Silky smooth attack. Full, meaty mouth-feel with persistent, very elegant tannins. Sweet black-fruit flavors. Re-minders of minerals and spices, pipe tobacco, cedar. Flavorsome, persistent aftertaste. Drink 2021-2030,

We recently had a tasting with one of Rioja’s great producers, Valserrano, one of Riojas greatest family wineries that rival the finest the region has to offer. Son, Pablo de Simon tasted us through the wines which were all excellent but the stand out was the 2016 Valserrano Finca Monteviejo. This wine absolutely wobbled me, tasted more like one of the finest Ribera de Duero (also made from Tampranillo) you have ever tasted than the often more elegant Rioja. Finding out more, the wine is a single vineyard, about 10 acres of Valserrano’s finest vineyard, vines are 60 to 70 years of age and the wine is made more like a top Napa Cab or Classified Bordeaux. Yields are kept to an absolute minimum, wines is left to macerate for a longer time and the result is a much richer, rounder red that has spectacular richness and concentration, coats the palate in black fruits that all cashmere with a magnificent finish and aftertaste that I can still taste sitting here writing this piece. This wine is as good as modern Spain gets, received 95pts by Tim Atkins from Decanter and 95pts by Penin. Best described as a ‘Super Rioja’. We sold out of the wine at the tasting but we have been able to secure a second small allocation that has just arrived. This is a must buy if you love Ribera de Duero, reminds me of Pingus, Napa Cabs, Bordeaux or Super Tuscans. It’s much cheaper and as good.