Valladolid, Spain
Ribera del Duero
Alfredo Maestro started making wine in the late 1990's when he planted his first vineyard, Almate, on the Rio Duraton near his native town of Peñafiel in the Ribera del Duero, and from the beginning set out to farm organically. Since 2003 his wines have contained no additives at all, including sulphur. Over the past few years, he has been searching out abandoned or neglected vineyards around the Ribera del Duero and Madrid to convert to organic farming and gradually has increased his holdings to 9 hectares. Known as the 'Magician of the Duero', he has emerged as one of the most lauded and dynamic natural winemakers in Spain. 75% of this particular cuvee comes from 80 year old Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) vines from the Valtiendas area, just south of the Ribera del Duero. The remaining 25% is from young Tinto Fino vines planted on sand and clay on the River Duraton. Fermented with wild yeasts and aged for 4 months in used French oak, only 10,000 bottles were produced.
An un-sulphured, deep, ripe Spanish red. Rich aromas of ripe black fruit, lavender and toffee with notes of rose. On the palate the wine is savoury with a deep sense of minerality and earth. With aging for only 4 months in old oak barrels, it is ripe, soft and deliciously easy drinking. A superb value natural wine. Delicious with a plate of Manchego cheese and Jamon Iberico, braised ribs with confit potatoes and crispy leeks or something like a game meat stew - venison, bison, etc.
There's a hint of reduction on this wine at first but it blows off pretty quickly with some aeration. Decanting recommended.