The 2011 Val de los Frailes Tempranillo offers simple black currant and boysenberry fruit on the nose. The palate is chewy on the entry, with rather hard tannins, while the finish is a little mealy and attenuated in the mouth. Personally, I would plump for the 2012. Drink now. Located in the sub-region of Cubillas de Santa Marta, Bodegas Valdelofrailes is part of Grupo Mattarromera run by the Carlos Moro family (see Bodegas Emina in last issue’s Ribera del Duero report). Established in 1999, they presently farm around 78 hectares of vine in Cubillas de Santa Marta and Valoria la Buena that includes some century-old plantings. I visited their facility, a functional rather than aesthetically pleasing winery equipped with modern machinery and approximately 800 American and French oak barrels. Importer: Matarromera USA Inc. www.grupomatarromera.com