Bodegas Ismael Arroyo, Valsotilla Reserva, 2004

BODEGAS ISMAEL ARROYO – VALSOTILLO

One of the historic bodegas of the booming Ribera del Duero region, the Arroyo family have been vineyard owners in the area for 400 years and were one of the 5 founding members of the DO (region) in 1982. Recent popularity has taken the number of Ribera del Duero producers to over 200, though the jury is out on how many will be around for long. Ismael Arroyo own 22 ha of family vineyards, between 40 and 80 years old, and source additional grapes from other growers in the surrounding Sotillo area. These are classic wines in the sense that their quality comes from excellent grapes (all Tinto Fino or Tinto del Pais, a cousin of Tempranillo) rather than flashy wine making.

Despite being related to Tempranillo, the Tinto del Pais grapes produced in the Ribera region create wines that tend to be more savoury than their Rioja cousin. They also have a more prominent mineral dimension often with more concentrated flavours of coffee, truffle, spice and even meatiness, while oak is usually also fairly explicit.

An intense cherry red, this wine's aromas are powerful yet elegant, full of ripe dark berry fruit and a touch of spice. It shows gentle minerality, and nuanced coffee and truffle characters. On the palate it has wonderful structure and balance, and a silky mouthfeel. Fat, expressive and long, with just the right amount of oak on the finish.