Creta, Roble Ribera del Duero 2018

91 points Vinous
“Inky ruby. Smoke- and spice-accented dark fruits, pungent flowers and subtle oak spiciness on the perfumed nose. Smooth and fleshy on the palate, showing good heft as well as energy to the bitter cherry and blackberry flavors. Finishes long and spicy, with even tannins and bright closing lift.”

Vinous Reverie Notes
Sotillo de la Ribera is a small village of 600 inhabitants on the northern edge of the DO of Ribera del Duero. Dating back to the middle ages, many of the buildings in Sotillo date to the 18th century when grape growing and winemaking brought prosperity to the village – a tradition which continues today. Made from 30-50 year old Tempranillo vines planted in the village of Sotillo de la Ribera. It is harvested by hand, brought to the cellar where the grapes are destemmed and lightly crushed. A pre-fermentation maceration of 4-6 days is followed by a 10 day fermentation with pump overs to keep the cap from drying. Malo occurs spontaneously in tank after which the wine is racked into 225L and 600L French oak barrels (mostly used) where the wines ages for 4 months before bottling.