Bodegas Arzuaga Reserva Ribera del Duero 2021

Bodegas Arzuaga Reserva is a phenomenal wine made from grapes sourced from a vineyard containing 80-year-old vines. It is predominantly Tempranillo with the addition of 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot. The wine is aged in French oak for 26 months which gives it a powerful and seductive structure but finishes with great elegance and freshness. The balance of smoky oak notes, leather, dark chocolate, tobacco and roasted coffee and perfectly balanced with the warm, ripe bramble fruit and damson notes. This is a wine of genuine quality and although drinking well now will age gracefully for many years.

Bodegas Arzuaga was founded in the early 1990’s by Florentino Arzuaga when he purchased the La Planta estate, just east of Valladolid in the high-altitude region of Ribera del Duero. The estate itself consists of over 1400 hectares of land, of which, just over 200 are under vine. There is an abundance of olive trees and a bewildering array of wildlife, flora and fauna on the estate along with a superbly modern hotel, spa and restaurant. It’s pretty much the perfect holiday location!

The high-altitude vineyards sit at 950 meters above sea level which results in a unique climate through the growing season of hot days and cool, humid nights. This allows for a slow maturation process which leads to ripe grapes with retained acidity, perfect for making big yet fresh and elegant wines.