2012 feels much fresher than 2011 in the Duero zone, and the 2012 César Príncipe is a good example of it. It's pure Tempranillo from their El Negral and La Parada vineyards that were planted by the grandfather of the current Príncipe generation in the best terroirs of Cigales. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in oak barrels for 14 months. After an initial lactic note that soon blows off, the nose is eminently oaky with plenty of smoky aromas and spices over a core of ripe black fruit, quite similar to the style of plenty of the neighboring Toro and Ribera del Duero reds. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, abundant, slightly grainy tannins and good freshness. It leaves a powdery sensation in the palate and time in bottle should make it rounder. If you're into modern, well-oaked Tempranillo, this is your style; it is nicely crafted without adding anything groundbreaking, but surely among the best wines produced in Cigales. 19,000 bottles produced.

The 2011 Cesar Principe red is much better than the rose. It’s produced with 100% Tempranillo grapes and feels like a serious red, with aromas of currants and blackberries intermixed with balsamic and spicy notes in quite good harmony. The palate is medium to full-bodied, dense, powerful and ripe but not excessive, with balance and enough acidity to age for a few years. Drink now-2018. After years of cultivating their vineyards, the Principe family created the winery that carries its name in 1982. They own 53 hectares of vineyards ranging from 20 to 80 years of age and they prefer Tempranillo to any other grapes they might work with. Importer: Vinovi & Co. Ferndale, MI; tel: (248) 930-0950; www.vinovico.com

My sample of the 2010 Cesar Principe was in bottle but came directly from the cellar, so I needed to warm it up. There is plenty of minerally black currant, iodine and wild strawberry fruit on the nose, which displays fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with black cherries, dark plum and wild strawberry notes. The tannins are a little chalky, but frame a very focused wine that should challenge the 2009 when released later in 2013. Look out for this. Drink 2015-2020+. Cesar Principe, named after Ignacio Principe’s father, is a pure Tempranillo from the estate’s own parcels close to the winery, and it is supplemented by approximately thirty growers. Most of the vines are between 60 and 100 years in age cultivated upon stony soils. It is usually aged in 80% French and 20% American oak, of which around 40 to 45% is new, for around 14 months. They believe that the wine is at its peak two or three years after release – a view I would agree with. To put it candidly, it offers too much pleasure in its youth to satisfy the curiosity of aging. Importer: Vinovi & Co. Ferndale, MI; www.vinovico.com

The 2009 Cesar Principe offers a very refined bouquet with scents of dark cherries, fresh strawberry, a hint of marmalade and Clementine. It is well-defined and elegant. The palate is smooth and harmonious on the entry with very fine tannins. It is not a complicated Cigales red – but this is its strength. It focuses on freshness and elegance, with a silky smooth finish with just a hint of piquancy. This is one of the samples where I could imagine drinking a whole bottle to myself! Drink now-2017. Cesar Principe, named after Ignacio Principe’s father, is a pure Tempranillo from the estate’s own parcels close to the winery, and it is supplemented by approximately thirty growers. Most of the vines are between 60 and 100 years in age cultivated upon stony soils. It is usually aged in 80% French and 20% American oak, of which around 40 to 45% is new, for around 14 months. They believe that the wine is at its peak two or three years after release – a view I would agree with. To put it candidly, it offers too much pleasure in its youth to satisfy the curiosity of aging. Importer: Vinovi & Co. Ferndale, MI; www.vinovico.com

The 2008 Cesar Principe was aged for 16 months in new, mostly French oak. It sports an inviting nose of sandalwood, Asian spices, lavender, violets, blackberry, and black cherry. Layered, ripe, and complex on the palate with plenty of mineral and espresso notes emerging, this is a well-proportioned, impressive offering from the revitalized DO of Cigales. The Cesar Principe cuvee is sourced from two Cigales vineyards with Tempranillo vines over 60 years of age. Importer: Carlos Montalvo, Fine Wine Imports, San Juan, PR; Tel. (787) 782-8008