Steeped in tradition, the Aalto Ribera Del Duero 2021 hails from Spain's eminent Ribera Del Duero region, renowned for its exceptional viticulture. Crafted by Bodegas Aalto, a winery celebrated for its commitment to quality, this fine wine captures the essence of the region's unique terroir. Hand-harvested from 40 to 100-year-old vines and artfully aged in French and American oak barrels, this Tempranillo manifests a complexity that is testament to its prestigious origin and meticulous production.

Aalto Ribera Del Duero 2021 is the epitome of elegance, offering a captivating array of flavours, marked by vivid red fruit notes complemented by refined hints of spice and oak. Its rich, velvety texture and well-balanced acidity culminate in a persistent and enveloping finish. Perfectly encapsulating Bodegas Aalto's mastery of winemaking, Aalto Ribera Del Duero 2021 is a wine of distinction, designed for the discerning palate.

Hailing from one of Spain's finest wineries, Aalto Ribera del Duero PS 2021 is an exquisite embodiment of masterful winemaking. This elite Tempranillo hails from the region's highest-altitude vineyards, meticulously crafted by the venerable Aalto Bodegas y Viñedos. Originating in Quintanilla de Arriba in Ribera del Duero, it speaks to the superior terroir of its birthplace.

Aalto Ribera del Duero PS 2021 bestows a complex bouquet of black berries, dark chocolate, and tobacco, layered with earthy and spicy tones. It's an alluring narrative of Ribera's classical back vintage, benefiting from two years of judicious maturation in French and American oak barrels, creating a weighty balance between fruit and structure.

Aalto, established in 1999 by Mariano García and Javier Zaccagnini, has evolved into a pillar of the Ribera del Duero's vinous landscape, and their 2021 PS is proof indeed. Experience authentic, premium vinification with this compelling essence of Spanish viticulture.

Renowned for its exceptional quality, Cillar de Silos Blanco Silos 2021 is a wine that any connoisseur would treasure. This spirit distinguishes itself with a harmonious blend of aromatic complexity, made from 100% Albillo grapes handpicked from vineyards ensconced in the majestic Ribera del Duero region of Spain. Creator Cillar de Silos is a noteworthy household name, respected globally for maintaining traditional wine-making methods whilst embracing modern techniques to engineer optimal flavours. Their commitment to sustainability is reflected in their respectful cultivation practices and usage of indigenous grape varieties.

This vigorous 2021 vintage boasts crisp notes of exotic fruit and delicate floral undertones, a characteristic trait of Albillo grapes. The wine is fermented and matured in French oak barrels for six months, resulting in a beautifully textured, full-bodied elixir with a lingering finish. The Cillar Silos Blanco Silos 2021 is a testament to the harmonious blending of tradition and innovation that is sure to enhance any wine collection.

James Suckling (99)

Expressive, scented and nimble on the nose with refined mineral and a hint of white sesame-like reduction. Subtle white pepper, herbs and red berries extend to a extremely mineral-textured palate full of tactile allures, which makes it even more engaging. I love the subtle delineation from this vintage, which is elegant, dialed-back and soft-spoken, full of etherealness and cohesion. A vintage where La Faraona delivers more austere minerality and verticality over the more perfumed, precise Las Lamas. From organically grown grapes. Delicious now, but will hold, too.

James Suckling (98)

Delineated, precise and elegant berries with subtle white pepper funk, mineral and white sesame characters make this so attractive. Nimble and almost “Atlantic” with fresh, tangy fruit that follows through to a textured, medium-bodied palate full of silky, mineral-textured tannins. The long, even and cohesive finish is persistent and ethereal. From organically grown grapes. Delicious now, but don’t underestimate its potential for aging, as balance is the key.

Wine Advocate (96-98)

The superb 2020 was a hard act to follow, but the 2021 Villa de Corullón didn't disappoint me. It also had contained ripeness and 13.5% alcohol, but it was darker than the 2020 but following the same style; and the wine has elegance and a vibrant palate, with very good freshness. I think Corullón has improved a lot since 2020. It's floral and elegant, with very fine tannins and nicely textured.

Wine Advocate (97)

The vino de paraje from A Serra in Dragonte 2021 Paixar is as good as ever, with the austerity of the slate slopes and the old vines that deliver low yields of concentrated and characterful grapes. It has a moderate 13.5% alcohol and a very fresh sensation on the palate beyond analysis. The vineyards are in the process to obtain organic certification. 6,500 bottles produced. This is one of the most elegant vintages for this wine.

Wine Advocate (98-100)

The subtle, austere and nuanced sample of the 2021 Pingus I tasted was harmonious, balanced and elegant. It's basically pure Tempranillo from La Horra that is young but surprisingly harmonious, very precise, clean, pure, with no apparent oak despite being a barrel sample. The wine is maturing in barrels that were previously used for PSI; Sisseck purchased a couple of 1,500-liter oak vats that he's using for PSI, and he still doesn't know if he's going to age part of Pingus in it. Purity, elegance and precision. The wine is medium-bodied, the tannins super fine and the mouthfeel is velvety, with a restrained 13.8% alcohol. There should be around 8,200 bottles, and the expectation today is to bottle it around June 2023. I tasted the barrel samples from 2021, a dry year in Ribera del Duero, with a little rain in June, but it's a vintage for which Peter Sisseck felt the key was the low temperatures at night. So, 2021 is cooler than 2020; and in 2021, they harvested one week earlier than in 2020, earlier than the majority of wineries in Ribera del Duero, as he finished when the most hadn't even started. All the wines are between 13.5% and 14% alcohol (the Flor was a little higher, 14.2%, with 20% new barrels). However, Sisseck still classifies 2021 as a warm vintage, following the path of 2015 and 2016, perhaps a little more austere, perhaps the tannins are a little more noticeable and the wines are going to benefit from the élevage, for Sisseck a more classical vintage. But it's not a super warm vintage like 2009 or 2015, perhaps more in the line of the 2018 with more punch, closer to the 2016 and 2018 than 2015. But it's going to be a heterogeneous vintage in Ribera del Duero, despite what the official classification of the vintage by the appellation might have been (excellent, nonetheless!). I think the 2021s here are incredibly elegant. The first year when they harvested early was 2016, and this is the evolution within that era. In 2021, all wines, except PSI, are certified organic, and they used the new barrels that had previously been used for PSI, so no new oak in Pingus again. Amelia was fermented with 50% full clusters; it's a rare and limited wine from a single vineyard that is sold exclusively in the US. There might be a new wine in 2021, a textured red with grip and good volume, a wine with 20% Garnacha fermented with 25% full clusters. It's not clear what they are going to do with it, the result of a half hectare of five-year-old vines Sisseck planted with Tinta del País and Garnacha. There are four (used) barrels of this. Time will tell. ...

Vinous (96)

Saturated garnet. An expansive bouquet presents an array of dark fruit and floral qualities that are complemented by suggestions of exotic spices, vanilla, pipe tobacco and cedary oak. Stains the palate with concentrated, smoke-tinged cherry liqueur, cassis, fruitcake and candied licorice flavors, braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows excellent depth as well as energy and finishes extremely long and chewy, with resonating florality and sneaky tannins. This is the 2021 release for this always-intriguing wine, and it seems to be leading with its structured, 2010 component right now.