Pinea 2014

The ambitious (look at the price tag and the size of the bottle) 2014 Pinea is a little predictable—a generously oaked, ripe and concentrated Tempranillo selected from their oldest vineyards. The hand-sorted and destemmed grapes fermented in 400-liter French oak barrels and matured in new French oak barrels for some 30 months. It's full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with plenty of oak flavors and a slight bitterness on the finish, possibly from the oak. It should develop for some time in bottle. For fans of oaky Tempranillo. Leave it for a little more time in bottle and drink with powerful food. 13,000 bottles were filled in April 2017.

As dense and dark as a young vintage port, but much less alcoholic, this is a concentrated and elegant Ribera del Duero that has a long, polished finish. Drink or hold.