The 2016 Malleolus is a generous old-vine Tempranillo fermented with yeasts they have selected and aged in French oak barrels for 18 months, showcasing the ripe and deftly oaked style of the house. There is more freshness and better balance here compared with 2015; it's juicy, a little chewy and with fine-grained, abundant tannins. There is contained ripeness and moderate acidity. As with many of the wines here, I felt it could do with a little more acidity. 180,000 bottles. It was bottled in May 2018, days before I tasted it.

This dense red is rich yet focused. Black cherry, plum and boysenberry flavors mingle with cocoa, clove and mineral notes, supported by muscular, well-integrated tannins and balanced by fresh acidity. Not showy, but harmonious. Drink now through 2031. 8,000 cases made, 1,650 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Ribera del Duero Select to Add