Tinto Pesquera - Millenium Reserva 2008 | Monsieur Touton Selection

History

The 1970’s brought the realization of a lifetime dream for a young and determined Alejandro Fernández. Propelled by his conviction that wines of superb quality could once again be made in the place of his birth, he went against the movement of the time, when cereal and beetroot dominated the Riberan hillsides, and planted Tempranillo vineyards in his hometown of Pesquera. In 1982, this iconic winemaking pioneer, who came to be recognized as the “Master of Tempranillo,” was the keystone in forming the now famous D.O. Ribera del Duero, a designation that Alejandro helped to create with only a few other winemaking pioneers.

Tasting Notes

The Fernández family has been passionate about winemaking for over four decades, during which they have created four iconic wineries that comprise patriarch Alejandro Fernández’s wine legacy: Tinto Pesquera,Condado de Haza, Dehesa La Granja and El Vínculo. Tinto Pesquera, the Grupo Pesquera’s flagship property, is known for producing some of the most sought-after Tempranillos in the world. Dark cherry red in color with a maroon rim, Tinto Pesquera’s Millenium Reserva is only made in select vintages. Containing a very complex nose, with notes of mixed berries and licorice wrapped in sleek oak, vanilla and roasted coffee, the palate is fine and elegant, with impressive smoothness. A dense, but noticeably fresh-tasting wine, the 2008 Millenium Reserva contains the perfect balance between alcohol, acidity and fruit. 100% estate-owned Tempranillo.

Vinification

Alcoholic fermentation of the Millenium Reserva took place between 6-10 days at an average temperature of 20-25°C. The resulting wine was then aged for 30 months in fine grain, 225 and 300 liter French oak barrels with a light to medium toast. Barrels were racked four times during the first twelve months and an additional 2-3 times per year during the second and third year of barrel aging. With the Fernández family dedicated to natural winemaking, all wines produced by Alejandro Fernández were neither filtered nor fined before the bottling, which took place on January 17, 2011. Upon completion of the barrel aging and bottling, the 2008 Millenium Reserva was then aged for an additional three years in bottle before it was released to the market. Wine analysis: 4.9 g/l (0.49%) total acidity; 14.0% alcohol by volume

Vintage

2008 was the vintage of extended grape maturation. Winter was much warmer than usual and incredibly arid. Spring began in the same fashion, before the welcomed rain fell during April and May, quenching the drought-ridden vineyards with much-needed water. Summer began with light rain in early August and was cooler than usual, allowing for a slower phenolic maturation of the grape clusters. Harvest, which was delayed until October, was performed in ideal conditions thanks to a cool, dry September, prompting the Tinto Pesquera team to produce its fourth vintage of the esteemed Millenium Reserva.

Estate

Tinto Pesquera’s 200 hectares of vineyards lie near the Duero River at close to 2,400 feet in elevation. The vines grow in poor, well-drained soils, composed of sand and gravel over a limestone and clay subsoil, and are naturally irrigated with water from the nearby Duero River. Tinto Pesquera’s vines are located within the province of Valladolid, in the heart of Ribera del Duero, which has hot summers, incredibly cold winters and extreme diurnal temperature differences that create an ideal combination for producing silky and sumptuous Tempranillo wines. Tinto Pesquera’s Millenium Reserva is made from the estate’s highest-elevation and best single vineyard named Viña Alta.

Spain Castilla Y Leon Ribera del Duero