2018 Pesquera MXI Ribera del Duero red

Deep garnet in colour, it presents lovely fresh aromas with hints of red berries and black fruits, where blackberries and raspberries take the lead. Creamy notes emerge, paving the way for subtle touches of oak contributed by barrel aging. On the palate, it's fruity and flavorful with well-integrated acidity and round tannins that provide remarkable length. Notes of vanilla and smooth toffee come through in the finish.

Harvesting takes place from August to October, when the vine leaves turn the colour of ochre after having passed their vitality on to the grape clusters. This signals that the time has come for human intervention in the bodega to carry on from where nature left off. Pesquera wines are always made from the whole fruit, after destemming. Temperature controlled fermentation lasts two to three weeks. Afterwards, and without clarifying, the grape pulp is directly transferred to an astute and subtle combination of French and American oak barrels that have been subject to various degrees of toasting. Where, in between frequent pump-overs, the wines are left to stand. Tinto Pesquera wines are aged in oak for 18 months while Reservas and Grandes Reservas are aged for no less than 24 months.