Description
Arzuaga’s flagship red is made from a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon and a small percentage of Merlot, in the Ribero del Duero region, north of Madrid. A wine with a great value to savour and enjoy with food and friends!
TASTING NOTE: A deep purple colour. On the nose: Concentrated ripe red and black fruits as well as notes of balsamic and roasted spices. On the plate: It’s full-bodied with more flavours of ripe red and black fruits, firm tannin, spice and a hint of toasty oak character too from 16 months of ageing in French and American oak barrels, with a long, lingering finish. 14% alcohol.
FOOD PAIRING, STORING AND SERVICE: Enjoy this wine with roasted red meat or game with a flavourful sauce, or some soft cheeses. Drink now or till 2027 we’d recommend decanting this an hour or so before you plan to enjoy it, to allow for the aromas to open and the tannins to soften.
ABOUT: Florentino Arzuaga bought the La Planta estate in Ribera del Duero (to the north of Madrid) in 1990, and founded Bodegas Arzuaga. It has become a leader in wines as well as wine tourism. In fact, a few years ago, it was highlighted by the New York Times as one of 52 destinations around the world to visit. It is worth a stop if ever in the area, to join a tasting and explore the estate and five-star hotel. As is common here, most of their wines are red, from the excellent Tempranillo grape (90%), with 10% from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Most of the Tempranillo grapes were from La Maquinilla vineyard, the oldest of Arzuaga’s La Planta estate, in the Valladolid part of the Ribera del Duero appellation (this is also where the Arzuaga winery is based). La Maquinilla lies at a very high altitude of 911 metres on chalky clay soils on limestone rock one meter from the surface. The rest were grown on centuries-old vineyards of pebbled and sandy soils, from the province of Burgos (also part of Ribera del Duero). The grapes were harvested in mid October, destemmed and macerated at cool temperatures to extract precious aromas and flavours. After fermentation, the wine was aged for 16 months in barrels (75% French oak and 25% American oak)
