The 2010 Malleolus de Valderramiro is a single-vineyard Tempranillo from a 0.84-hectare plot of Tempranillo in Pesquera de Duero, which produces tannic wines with marked acidity on clay rich soils. With their single-vineyards they wanted to show the expression of Tempranillo (90-year-old vineyard). Here the malolactic fermentation is carried out in American oak barrels, as they find it’s better suited with the earthy, slightly rustic and rounder character produced by the clay soils. This is rounder than the Sanchomartin, with more lactic aromas and flavors, rich and plump, ripe but balanced, with the concentration and seriousness of old vines, with great stuffing. With time it develops stronger lactic aromas and notes of smoky bacon that makes it the most approachable and commercial-oriented of their top cuvees. Drink 2015-2022.
Emilio Moro is a leading producer of modern, ripe, exuberant, showy and well-oaked Tempranillos from Ribera del Duero, which has had a big following among fans of that style. Having said that, I found the wines better balanced, with more judicious use of the oak compared with the ones produced five years ago. They work 200 hectares of vineyards that are vinified in their winery in Pesquera de Duero. All their vineyards are planted with the old Tempranillo vines planted with branches of the old vines they had in the Valderramiro and Resalso vineyards. They replace some 15 hectares every year to keep the old average age. The wines are more integrated and balanced and show less oak than in the past, while they are warmer and richer in style than the Cepa 21 wines they also produce. They are very happy with the 2011 harvest, Javier and Jose Moro told me they consider it even better for them than 2010. On the contrary, there will be no 2012 versions of Malleolus, or the single-vineyard bottling, as the year was too warm for their liking.
Importer: Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300