As with other "paraje" bottlings (from very small plots in the same zone of the village), I tasted the 2012 Llanos del Almendro next to the 2013, and I was able to see how different the two vintages are. The grapes here achieved 15% alcohol and come from a north-facing slope at 965 meters in altitude planted with ancient vines. The wine fermented in small stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in second use French oak barrels for a period of 16 months. 2012 was a super dry year, quite the opposite of 2013. This is one elegant and powerful Ribera, with the freshness of the zone and soil and the power given by the natural concentration of the vintage. 1,489 bottles were filled in July 2014.

A dense and polished version, this red offers a balance of fruit and savory notes, with plum, graphite, licorice, tar and smoke hints. A bit reserved for now, but balanced, harmonious, powerful and graceful overall. Best from 2016 through 2030. 50 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Ribera del Duero Select to Add

(fermented in concrete vats and then aged for 20 months in used French oak barriques): Brilliant ruby-red. Explosively perfumed red and dark berry scents are complemented by spicecake, incense and smoky minerals. Stains the palate with sweet black raspberry and floral pastille flavors, putting on weight and becoming spicier with aeration. Shows a compelling blend of richness and finesse, with a vibrant, mineral-driven, strikingly persistent finish framed by silky, harmonious tannins.