Wines

92 Points! Attractive aromas of sweet spices, smoke and seaweed. Some roasted nuts. Hints of Iberico ham. Medium-bodied with a nice rounded character to the tannins and juicy fruit. Pure tempranillo. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! Hints of toast, smoke and spices lace flavors of soft cherry and plum fruit, mandarin orange peel and dried flowers and herbs in this well-knit, medium-bodied red, framed by lightly chewy tannins. Drink now through 2029.- Wine Spectator

DeRose has a handful of ”old-vine” varieties on its Cienega Valley estate, but none is more exotic that a 10-acre planting of Negrette. These vines are even rare in their native land of France where records show only 100 acres cultivated in the Toulouse region on the Garonne River. Adding to the mystique, the variety was called “Pinot St. George” until the BATF changed its official name effective with the ’97 vintage.

Planted on their own roots in the 1880s, the old vines are dry farmed in gray clay-loam soils that contain large chunks of dolomite. This shimmering white mineral is mostly calcium, an essential element of good soil. Relatively young
in geologic time, these loose soils allow vines to extend deep and wide in search of water and nutrients. Yields average one ton per acre.

From the importer: The village wine and entry to the Conde de Hervías range is Trinidad del Conde de Hervías, an outstanding value. Trinidad is the expression of three different single-vineyards in the village of Torremontalbo, on three distinct soil types, all planted to the original, ancestral clone of tempranillo: Romero, on pure calcareous clay soil in 1978, while Llano Alto on ferrous calcareous clay with river rocks, was planted in 1958.
Lastly, Trinidad contains a portion of the 1874 pre-phylloxera Las Arenillas vineyard, planted on sandy calcareous clay soil. Traditional goblet (bush training) method is used in the vineyard, which helps preserve acidity and freshness in the wines and guards against heat damage.

Trinidad del Conde de Hervías is produced from hand-picked, organically-farmed grapes. Native yeasts are utilized for alcoholic fermentation, bringing the character of the vineyard to the wines. Recently, he has been utilizing a method called integrated fermentation, where alcoholic and malolactic fermentations happen simultaneously, bringing great harmony to the wine. Finally, the aging process is never hurried; the estate releases small quantities of each wine only when the time is right for each one to express its personality.

95 Points! Ripe, tarry plums and black cherries with violets, rocks, coffee and graphite. Refined notes of balsamic fruit and cocoa powder, too. Full-bodied and juicy with an iron fist of tannins, yet at the same time so velvety and polished. Very long, focused finish, showing lots of finesse and layers. Drinkable now, but better after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2019 Alión was cropped from a drier vintage compared with the average, and the wines from that year tend to be powerful, concentrated and with structure. They shortened the maceration by 11 days and used concrete for part of the élevage, trying to reduce the impact from the oak in the wine. They define 2019 as a powerful, concentrated and juicy vintage, sensual and unctuous. The wine is ripe at 15% alcohol and has mellow acidity (4.4 grams) and a pH of 3.88, reflecting the warm and dry year that delivered powerful and concentrated wines, similar to the wines from 2015. It's quite fruit-driven, ripe and juicy, with abundant, slightly dusty tannins despite the limited pumping over they did to avoid extracting too much, and the maceration was also shortened. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2019 Reserva, sold as Crianza in Spain, comes from a dry and warm year with low yields and concentrated wines. The grapes from the Haro zone, the four from Rioja, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo and Graciano fermented destemmed and lightly crushed in oak vats with indigenous yeasts, and 80% of the volume matured in French oak and the rest in Centro European and American oak, 20% of them new, for 22 months, during which time the wine was racked every eight to nine months. This is serious and young but balanced, nuanced and complex. They are shortening the time in oak, as they feel they have better and younger barrels and think the wines need less time in oak and more time in bottle. This is very Muga, very Rioja and very good. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

91 Points! A juicy and berry-oriented Rioja with a stony edge to the black cherries and plums. Firm, bright and pretty succulent on the palate with medium body. Well-balanced even though it is not complex. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Quite an understated and traditional bottling of Rioja, showing red and black berries, hints of dried mushroom, peppercorns, dark earth and tobacco on the nose. Chewy and juicy on the medium-bodied palate, showing a fresh array of berries and plums. Drinkable now, but better from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Flattering, with ripe, minty blackberries, black plums, tobacco, hazelnuts and a hint of mocha. A full-bodied, tightly wound red with powerful but creamy tannins that will need a year or two to soften more. Long, creamy finish. Drink after 2023. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2019 San Vicente was produced with Tempranillo Peludo, a special strain of Tempranillo planted from a massale selection in 1985 in the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra. Like all their reds (except the carbonic maceration ones), the destemmed grapes fermented in French oak vats, and the wine matured in new oak barrels (90% French, 10% American) for 20 months. This wine is quite regular, and I found similar wines in 2019 and 2018, the two vintages that I tasted together, combining power and elegance and juicy fruit with good ripeness but without excess and good acidity and balance and fine-grained tannins. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! Making the most of what Agustín Santolaya considers the best vintage since 2001, the regular Roda release marries Tempranillo with 5% Graciano and 4% Garnacha from the Rioja Alta and Oriental sub-regions. Full-bodied but not overpoweringly so, this is layered and well structured, with scented 40% new wood, serious dark berry fruit and a balsamic lift. Modern yet traditional at the same time. - Tim Atkin

93 Points! Fruity and primary with rich black cherries, red plums and damsons, adorned by some coffee, black pepper and chocolate. A pretty modern, juicy expression of Rioja with a medium to full body, rounded by assertive and fine-grained tannins. Long, with some dark chocolate in the finish. Drink from 2023. - JamesSuckling.com

91+ Points! The 2019 Finca San Martín is pure Tempranillo from the younger vines on richer soils, the grapes not used for Martelo that deliver rounder and fruitier wines. It fermented in stainless steel for 14 days with a slow malolactic of 74 days and matured in 60% new American oak barrels and 40% second-use French oak barrels for 16 months. It's round and fruity, with juicy fruit, round tannins and a gentle mouthfeel. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker..com

96 Points! The modern 2019 Real de Asúa has been produced since 2018 with grapes from a paraje in the village of Villalba called Carromaza (now mentioned on the label) on sandy, south-facing soils that were harvested between the 8th and 9th of October. 2019 was a low-yielding year with loose and small bunches that ripened thoroughly delivering wines that are balanced and have aging potential. It's 14.5% alcohol and has mellow acidity and good freshness and balance. It fermented in small oak vats with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic in new French oak barrels and then matured in new and second use French barriques for 12 months. The wine is very impressive, showy, clean and harmonious, without any noticeable oak, juicy, harmonious, young, fresh and elegant. It has concentration, power and finesse. It has a new label and bottle and a much more modern image but with the essence form the past. The wine has improved a lot, and it has grip and very fine tannins. Very impressive. It has the naked essence of Rioja without the layers and layers of oak, now from a single vineyard where they want freshness and a lush but floral and delicate profile you have to drink effortlessly. Superb. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

97 Points! A full-bodied, ripe and delicious red with firm, lightly chewy tannins. Lots of cherries, dried flowers, coconut and rosemary. Lavender and white roses, too. Firm and very well structured. Tight and fresh at the end. First year with single vineyard on the label. 100% tempranillo. Try this after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! A harmonious red that marries power with finely detailed grace, offering a dense core of tannins tightly meshed with flavors of ripe black currant, fig cake, wild sage and mocha that slowly unfurl on the palate. Sleek and silky in texture, with a firm, lingering and well-spiced finish. Best from 2024 through 2032. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! Deep, lurid ruby. Mineral- and smoke-accented blackberry, cherry and tobacco scents pick up floral and vanilla accents with air. Sappy, expansive black and blue fruit and violet pastille flavors open up steadily, energized by a spicy topnote. Concentrated yet lively in style, with a smoky mineral quality that adds cut to the impressively long, floral- and spice-driven finish. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

93 Points! High-toned, floral aromas with orange peel and crushed blackberries. Medium-bodied with tight, chewy tannins that are polished and intense. Serious length and focus. Vegan. Very drinkable now, but even better in 2024. - JamesSuckling.com