Finca Villacreces, `Nebro` Ribera del Duero
Vintage: 2021
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FV102T21 | 3 x 75 | Natural Cork | Available |
Producer
Described by Robert Parker as “the hidden jewel of Ribera del Duero”, Finca Villacreces forms part of the regions ‘golden mile’ alongside their neighbours Vega Sicilia and Pingus. Located in Quintanilla de Onésimo, this stunning estate was purchased by the Antón family of Izadi in 2003. The wines, made by winemaker Ángel Ortega together with Luis Laso, are deep, dark, and focused in style.
The vineyards of Finca Villacreces follow what is called ‘integrated viticulture’, using canopy management and natural treatments, instead of artificial chemicals. The combination of sand, gravel, shingle, and quartz soils encourage low yields of intensely flavoured grapes (around three tonnes per hectare and only two kilos per vine). The estate’s 64 hectares of vines are planted at 735 metres above sea level. 85% of the vineyards are planted with Tempranillo on sandy soils, which impart an attractive fleshiness to the wines. The remaining vines are 5% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, planted on quartz and shingle, giving more mineral complexity to the blend.
‘Pruno’ was developed with the intention of making a Ribera del Duero that could be enjoyed earlier than their flagship wine. It blends 93% Tempranillo with 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot, aged in second and third-year French oak barrels. The Ribera del Duero is more concentrated, with excellent depth and complexity, complemented by red and black fruit notes and hints of spice. ‘Nebro’, the single-vineyard wine, is named after the 1.2-hectare site of the estate’s oldest Tempranillo vines, planted in 1917, three metres from Vega Sicilia. This wine is produced only in exceptional vintages and in very limited quantities (just five barrels).
Vineyards
Ribera is known for its mild rainfall (only 450 millimetres per year) as well as for its marked contrasts between winter and summer temperatures (from -18ºC to 45ºC). This single-vineyard wine comes from a plot of 1.2 hectares, planted with some of the oldest vines in Ribera del Duero, many of which are over 80 years of age. The yields are very small (2,000 kilograms in total), meaning intense concentration of the black fruit character and ripe, compact tannins which ensure longevity, as well as very limited availability.
Vintage
The 2021 vintage was a remarkable year. It began with snow throughout the winter, which continued into the spring. A dry, mild summer with lower temperatures than usual led to a slow and complete ripeness. The fruit produced showed a pure Tempranillo expression, with balanced acidity.
Vinification
Grapes were hand picked and manually sorted in 15 kg boxes. Carefully selected using a sorting table, the grapes were then destemmed and whole-bunch fermented in concrete tanks. Following this, malolactic fermentation was carried out in new French oak barrels. The wine was then aged for 16 months in French oak barrels and a further 6 months in foudre before bottling with no fining.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
The wine opens with aromas of a bouquet of mocha, coffee, sweet spice, and wild blackberry. On the palate, it is packed with layers of spicy black fruits, length, and well-concealed tannins. It has a soft, toasted aftertaste.
Alcohol (ABV)
14%
Acidity
6.09 g/l
Residual Sugar
1.9 g/l
pH
3.6
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finca Villacreces | Ribera del Duero | FV101 | R | Factsheet | |
| `Pruno` Ribera del Duero | FV103 | R | Factsheet |