I also tasted the 2012 Tilenus Pieros, which was better than the 2011 but still quite oaky and ripe. The palate is mostly about oak flavors and plenty of tannins. It needs powerful food. For fans of oaky reds. 2,900 bottles were filled in November 2014.

A single-vineyard red produced only in certain vintages, the 2010 Tilenus Pieros is a ripe, heady, generously oaked and classical Bierzo from a vineyard that was planted over 100 years ago. It has a developed, tertiary nose, with reminiscences of an era when the oak was used more generously than it is today. It had the full-Monty treatment: fermentation of full clusters in oak vats and aging in brand-new luxurious Taransaud T-5 barrels. 2010 was a balanced vintage and the alcohol and ripeness are more moderate, while the effect of the oak is less evident after almost five years in bottle. The palate revealed abundant, dusty tannins, good concentration and power, in need of hearty food. A powerful Bierzo. Only 960 bottles were filled in December 2012.

Closing the impressive line-up, the 2004 Pieros produced from centenary Mencia vines grown on the slopes of the Pieros village close to Cacabelos, was fermented in oak vats with 20% of stems and aged for 18 to 20 months in the exclusive T5 barrels from Taransaud. The nose shows some cola, mineral and soil notes and the palate reveals an extremely powerful wine. Drink 2013-2022. The official name of Tilenus is Bodegas Estefania, but everybody knows them by their brand name. The winery is owned by the Frias family, a name traditionally linked with the dairy business, and they were smart enough to hire Raul Perez as technical director for the winery. They own 40 hectares of vineyards, mostly around the villages of Pieros and Valtuille at around 800 meters altitude. The average age of their vineyards is very old, with some plots exceeding 100 years of age. They are one of the few producers in Bierzo offering more mature vintages; as you can see in this report they are still selling wines from 2004, 2005 and 2006. Imported by Classic Wines, Stamford, CT; tel. (203) 975-2522

The opaque purple-colored 2003 Pieros was aged in 100% new oak. Dense, concentrated, and jam-packed with fruit, it is not quite as voluptuous as the Pagos de Posada, likely the result of an exceptionally warm vintage. The Tilenus wines are produced by Bodegas Estefania. Importer: John Larchet, World Wine Headquarters; Tel. (800) 485-5753