In a tasting of 20 mid-level wines from the two major Tempranillo regions of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, four wines stood out. A number of the other wines were a bit out of balance with tannins performing strong, but fruit less so.
My favorite wine was the 2019 Alejandro Fernandez Pesquera Tinto Reserva. Robert Parker once called a Pesquera wine the Petrus of Spain. Well, this obviously was not this wine. This wine impressed with its beautiful fruit, its elegance and its long finish. It is a slightly bigger wine than the following three, but it is in perfect harmony.
Score: 93/++
The second wine, a little lighter, but with similar characteristics, was the 2020 Los Tres Dones Tinto Fino. It had quite a generous feel of dark fruit and soft tannins.
Score: 92/++
The third Ribera del Duero wine in this 'finals' list was the 2020 Protos '27 Tinto. This wine spent 24 months in American oak, but despite this, the wine had a delicate texture, some minerality and a light finish.
Score: 91/++
The one wine from Rioja which made the list was the 2018 Valenciso Rioja Reserva. The grapes come from Rioja Alta, from vines at least 60 years old, and organically farmed. There is minimal oak influence, showcasing the beautiful fruit. Some earthy flavours add to complexity.
Score: 91/++
Overall, Ribera del Duero wines did a little better with a more rounded profile from the warmer region. Rioja wines can soar very high, but they need to be the very best (and expensive), in my experience.
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