Tempranillo "Parada De Atautae", Dominio De Atauta, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y Leon, ES, 2020

Tasting Notes

The youngest of the reds here, the 2020 Parada de Atauta was selected from 90+-year-old vines on sandy soils from a rainier and cooler year that they compare with 2016. The grapes fermented destemmed in concrete and stainless steel and underwent malolactic in concrete followed by 13 months in French oak barrels, 20% of them new, plus four more months in concrete before being bottled. It's slightly lighter and less ripe than the 2019 (which I also tasted on this occasion), with 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.6 denoting freshness and balance. It has a creamy nose that combines red berries with darker ones and some sweet spices and smoke in a subtle and harmonious way. The tannins are very fine and the mouthfeel quite silky. 52,823 bottles and 900 magnums produced. It was bottled in August 2022.

James Suckling 91 Points

The 2020 Parada de Atauta is a Tempranillo from the Atauta Valley in Soria, Ribera del Duero. Aged for 12 months in 20% new French oak barrels, it's purple in hue. The nose features notes of plum and cherry layered over caramel hints. Rich and dry with robust tannins and a reasonably taut palate, the finish is fruity and long-lasting.