Exclusive Lunch with Ribera del Duero wines at Parallel Amsterdam

For @thestoryofmywine I was fortunate to join the lunch, which was entirely dedicated to Ribera Del Duero. Organized by PitchPR.

These high-quality wines are produced under exclusive conditions. A wine-up of 8 special wines was selected for a lunch, provided by the chefs of Parallel Amsterdam.
Under the guidance of Master of Wine Cees van Casteren we were allowed to taste this delicacy. In addition, Pablo Basquera Peironcely of D.O. Ribera de Duero was also present to provide further information about the wine and the region, and answer questions. Their slogan is: made to move you. And that was exactly what the wine did, I swirled a lot. Just joking, the wine was next level and really well made. 

The Ribera del Duero area

But before I tell you about one of the best red wines in Spain, I would like to introduce the Ribera del Duero area, which is about a 1.5-hour drive from Madrid.

It is located on the Maseta plateau, which is between 700 and 1000 meters high. This is why we are talking about some the highest vineyards in Europe. The vineyards are located at altitude, along the banks of the river Duero. There is a continental climate with extreme temperature differences and plus minus 2.400 hours of sunshine. In winter, the temperature can drop to -18 degrees Celsius and in summer, it can rise to more than 40 degrees.  The locals say '9 meses de invierno, 3 meses de infierno'. Translated, this is: 9 months of winter and 3 months of hell.

This gives the special character to the wines from this area. In the growing season, the conditions are excellent for the Tempranillo grape, which accounts for 96% of the total planting. The grape has a thick skin, which protects it from the heat and a relatively short growing season.

The wines from this area are known for their excellent quality. This is due to multiple factors. For example, the area consists of a striking number of old vines, which are between 20 and 100 years old, with an overall average age of more than 35 years. This is because the relatively poor area did not have the financial means to replace them. There are also vines to be found, that are not affected by the Phylloxera. But the height and variety of soil types, also play a major role in the high quality.

Until 1982 the wine was bought by cooperatives, this changed when the DO (Denominación de Origen) was founded. The DO consists of 28 hectares of vineyards, comparable in size to Burgundy and there are now 317 wineries.

The highlights

After the warm welcome, it turned out that the table setting was very special. There was a bottle of wine for everyone with his or her name and face on it. A very nice detail and conversation starter. Cees van Casteren spoke passionately about the wines he selected. His 'wish list' was present.

They were all delicious wines. For me there were three real highlights which I would therefore like to explain in more detail. 

Bodegas la Horra – Carimbo - Reserva 2017

Wines from the 2017 vintage are special, due to frost in April of that year, 40 to 50% of the harvest was lost. Despite that, it was the earliest harvest ever, but due to the low yield, it did produce grapes of exceptional quality. 

A wine made of 100% Tinta del País (Temperanillo), these bush vines have an average of 60 years of age. The fermentation takes place in large oak vats and stainless-steel tanks. 80% of the wine ages in French oak barrels and 20% in American oak, for 16 months. Stabilization is completely natural and clarification using only egg whites.
The nose is intense with red cherry, plum and ripe black fruits. Also chocolate and tobacco are present and there is a hint of chalkiness. The palate is robust has a remarkable ripe style, but well done. Lots of black fruits, cinnamon and liquorish. The wine is quite full-bodied, well balanced with a present medium acidity and fine medium tannin. It is really nice without being pompous, and has a good potential for aging.
The pairing with the lunch was a hit. The structure of the wine changed and brought all the flavors together. It bound the fat and the taste of the wine lingered for a long time.

Bodegas y viῆedos Valtravieso - V Gran Valtravieso - Gran Reserva 2018

2018 had a mild, rainy winter and mild spring, although with fairly heavy rain and a hot, dry summer. It can be considered a good year with a quality and balance of grapes.
There are only 2305 bottles made of this wine. The vineyards lay at an altitude of 930 meters and contains vines with an average age of 25 years old. The wine is made of 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo). It is a pure expression of its fruit and terroir. The hand selected and picked grapes in conjunction with the climatic conditions provide a structured, complex character wine with great finesse and elegance. The wine ages for 12 months in French oak barrels, of which 50% new, and after this time a further 12 months in concrete tanks. Before going onto the market it rests for at least 12 months in the bottle. The use of oak is moderate and controlled, because the maker wants the aromas of the grape and the terroir to speak here.
In the nose it is quite fresh. Blackberries, cassis, black cherry, almonds, chocolate, liquorice, pepper and mineral hints which contribute a sensuous touch to the mix. On the palate, it appears very rounded, with medium(-) tannins. Balanced, with medium acidity and freshness. It has excellent body which endows it with a feeling of fullness and a long finish.

Vinedos y Bodegas Áster -finca el Otero- Genérica 2019

Cees told about a blind tasting he had, with all the Icon-wines of the Ribera del Duero, and this was the winner. For me it was the winner too, what a superb wine!
The absence of rain reduced both the number of bunches per vine and the size of the berries, resulting in a vintage officially classified as Excellent. 100% Tinta del País (Tempranillo). The El Otero plot has slopes at 850 m elevation, perfectly suited for this style of wine. Cold maceration for a week helped to enhance the varietal aromas and bright colors. The wine was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels. At the end of this stage, the best 85 barrels were bottled in 2022.
The nose stands out for its complex intensity, with ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, spicy hints of tobacco, nutmeg and liquorice. There are also cedar, mocha, cacao and coffee with underlying forest floor notes. Complex but approachable, full-bodied and smooth tannins. The wine had a very elegant and long aftertaste and also has a tremendous ageing potential.
The wine was a dish at itself!

The lunch

What better than Spanish dishes to accompany the DO wines. Lunch was as follows.

Starter
Maitake y Jamón: Maitake mushrooms, Jamón Ibérico de Bellotta en sinasappel-pimenton lak. It was paired up with;

• Alejandro Fernández -Tinto Pesquera- Tinto Pesquera- Reserva 2020
• Bodegas Abadía san Quirce -Abadía de san Quirce- Crianza 2021

Mid-Course
Calabaza y Sobrasada: Pan de coca with pumpkin, sobrasada mallorquina, salsa pipian. It was paired up with;

• Bodegas Antidoto -Dominio de es viῆas viejas de Soria - Genérica roble 2021
• Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro -Arzuaga - Reserva 2020

Main Course
Res y Piquillo: entrecote, pimiento de piquillo, jus de veau. It was paired up with;

• Bodegas la Horra – Carimbo - Reserva 2017
• Bodegas y viῆedos Valtravieso -V Gran Valtravieso- Gran Reserva 2018

Last Course
Calamar y Torro: squid stew, oxtail, piparra, garrofó boon. It was paired up with;

• Pago de los Capellanes -Parcela el Nogal- Genérica 2019
• Vinedos y Bodegas Áster -finca el Otero- Genérica 2019

It was striking that all wines were labeled as Cosecha. This is to have more freedom over the choices made during vinification. In the case of Crianza and (Gran)reserva, there are prescribed guidelines that the winemaker must comply with. During lunch I asked Pablo how he feels about this. He indicated that he understands the choice, but that it can be confusing for the consumer. It says nothing about the quality, because in the supermarkets there are bulk wines available with a mediocre quality for a small price, but high end wines are also sold with the same predicate. 

Thank you Ribera del Duero
Pitch PR
Restaurant Parallel Amsterdam