From the high-altitude, limestone plateaus in the heartland of Spain's Ribera del Duero, Hacienda Monasterio's 2020 flagship red shows off the elegant side of a region that has boldness in its DNA. Dry and sunny summer days quickly turn to cool nights, and while these are full-bodied wines, that boldness really comes through in the sapid, structured mouthfeel of fruit-enrobed, crushed-chalk tannins and veins of acidity. The local thick-skinned Tempranillo is in the driver's seat, bringing soft red fruits like strawberry and red plum along with accents of darker fruit and floral qualities from the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. A stony mineral current and fresh herbal hints ground the fruit while adding more dimensions. The 18 months spent in French oak provides a well-meshed balsam, licorice, and vanilla and softens the edges a bit. A wine like this will age beautifully, becoming more savory, velvety, and elegant. In the meantime, enjoy it in all of its youthful intensity by decanting and letting it breathe for a couple of hours. The gentle chewiness, mouth-filling weight, inner vibrancy, and the sun-kissed mix of savory, fruity, and earthy aromas make this an outstanding partner for flavor-rich stews and roasts with mushroom & red wine sauce!
Hacienda Monasterio is the original project for the well-known proprietor & winemaker behind Dominio Pingus, Peter Sisseck. Training at the chateaux of Bordeaux inspired him to make modern, sophisticated expressions from the Ribera del Duero, helping to bring the old winemaking region to international attention. He brought on Duero native Carlos De La Fuente to manage the winemaking, another way of keeping it a "wine of its place." They farm organically and ferment with local yeast.
WINE ADVOCATE 94+ POINTS - "The 2020 Hacienda Monasterio shows what Sisseck calls a "neo-classical" style of Ribera, with more freshness and 14.5% alcohol, harvested early and with higher yields. And possibly because of the Cabernet in the blend (around 10%), which also includes some Merlot and Malbec, the wine has great freshness (pH is 3.5) and avoids some of the excesses from the past. So, higher yields, an earlier harvest and careful oaking resulted in a more elegant wine. To me, it goes back to the benchmark Hacienda Monasterio, which for me is the 1996. A triumph over the natural conditions of the year."
Hacienda Monasterio is the original project for the well-known proprietor & winemaker behind Dominio Pingus, Peter Sisseck. Training at the chateaux of Bordeaux inspired him to make modern, sophisticated expressions from the Ribera del Duero, helping to bring the old winemaking region to international attention. He brought on Duero native Carlos De La Fuente to manage the winemaking, another way of keeping it a "wine of its place." They farm organically and ferment with local yeast.
WINE ADVOCATE 94+ POINTS - "The 2020 Hacienda Monasterio shows what Sisseck calls a "neo-classical" style of Ribera, with more freshness and 14.5% alcohol, harvested early and with higher yields. And possibly because of the Cabernet in the blend (around 10%), which also includes some Merlot and Malbec, the wine has great freshness (pH is 3.5) and avoids some of the excesses from the past. So, higher yields, an earlier harvest and careful oaking resulted in a more elegant wine. To me, it goes back to the benchmark Hacienda Monasterio, which for me is the 1996. A triumph over the natural conditions of the year."
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