Val de Los Frailes 2006 Pago de Las Costanas, Cigales DO

An extraordinary find! In 1997 the winery owner and winegrower who founded the celebrated Bodega Matarromera in the Ribera del Duero, decided he wanted to take advantage of the old vines plantings and long winegrowing history in Cigales and built a winery there where the famed Pago Las Costanas is located (a Pago is a noted single vineyard). With vines over 100 years old, grapes from the las Costanas vineyards, with its very poor soil, provide small bunches and very low yields.

Jancis Robinson said of this wine "Val de Los Frailes Pago de las Costanas, is undoubtedly a las Costanas wine, it symbolizes the union between altitude and minerality. The old vines are capable of producing very concentrated fruit flavors, particularly of blackberries, which are so prevalent in the impoverished pebble soils of this region".

The grapes of the las Costanas are harvested by hand in a triple selection process, first in the vineyard, then bunch by bunch in the winery and finally from grape to grape. This 2006 is 100% Tempranillo from these old vines. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in oak barrels for 21 months. The wine has rested and matured slowly in the winery cellars since then where it has reached an exceptional peak of drinkability and enjoyment!

Wine Enthusiast Magazine scored this 92 points saying "Rooty aromas of vanilla, turned earth, pepper and berry fruits are comfortable and congruent. While this is smacking on the palate, spicy plum and currant flavors are high in quality. On the finish, this tastes of oak grain and spice, but in a good way. Drink through 2028."